Sunshiny mid-morning skies
And warm salty breezes swaddle me
Like Grandma Annie’s afghan blanket
On a cold Ohio morning
In the bright blue horizon
I catch sight of a wet-suited surfer
Making his way beyond the breaks
efforting in spite of the violent waters
Bound only by the cuff on his ankle
He flops belly-first onto his board
His only trusted companion
For miles
I’m keenly aware that
This isn’t his first rodeo
As he’s probing out the perfect wave
To carry him back to shore
In the formless, deep blue
Known for subsuming
otherwordly beasts
He paddles headlong
Arms outstretched before him
Long and deliberate
He strokes with one arm, then the other
His cadence, steady
His stride, fearless and unbroken
As I stand at the edge of the water
I’m enraptured by his willful determination
I catch myself holding my breath
Apprehensive, yet awestruck by the view
I release the tension in my chest
As I remind myself to exhale
My heartbeat quickens
I whisper aloud in my solitude
“You can do this! You will do this!”
My heart opens
I’ve come to trust the anticipation of the wave
And here, on dry land -
I vividly recall the unaccounted moments
I myself fought for a chance to stand
On my own two feet
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About the Creator
Gabrielle Neavin
To Shine Your Bright Light is the Sacrifice and the Gift.
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