Look me in the eye:
I will make you break first.
One yip too loud.
One laughter too strong.
One gasp too shrill.
I'm looking into your depths,
And I've decided:
You can't make me break first.
Every growl controlled.
Every cackle whispered.
Every breath focused.
You won't break me.
But I forget myself:
One chomp too stiff.
I meet your gaze:
You've lost your will.
It’s time to stop.
Bad timing.
Unlucky day.
You look into my eye:
I hit the brakes.
Patience:
Not complaining while waiting?
Or
Self-occupying while waiting?
It’s the self-challenge.
It’s the little things.
It’s living in the present.
It’s not something that can be shown.
But it’s observable, over time.
Others notice.
It's funny how patience can feel not so.
When the present is enjoyable for its own sake,
It is simply part of the experience.
And it's a good part.
There's also the game in anticipation:
Theorizing outcomes.
Playing 4D chess.
Waiting to see if hunches are accurate.
Reading is an art.
Compiling observations and making sense of them is an art.
Figuring out the ending is an art.
When patience is an art,
It is not tedious.
È difficile.
Lo so.
Hai paura.
Lo so.
Ti sembra di essere da solo.
Lo so.
Vorrei prenderti
Nelle braccia.
Vorrei prender
Tutti i tuoi problemi.
Vorrei scampare
Tutte le paure.
Però
Non ho il potere.
Non ho la chiave.
Non ho i denari.
Ho solo il mio tempo
E le mie parole.
E se le cose che io abbia
Non sono abbastanze?
Non sono sufficient*?
Mannaggia.
Spiace.
It's that time again.
This chapter is coming to a close,
And the next is to be written.
So the question is: How?
You, hooman,
Can they serve your needs?
Are you a good pair?
Can they really be yours?
When you choose them,
Will they join up?
When you're excited,
Will you let them join in?
When you’re down,
Will they know how to cheer you up?
When you need help,
Will you allow them to act?
You,
hooman,
Do you trust them to love you back?
Oh
four-limbed friend,
Do you dare let them take you in?
Do you dare give them your spirit?
Do you dare trust them with your soul?
When you badger them for attention,
Will they know when to give?
And when to distract?
When you roll in the dirt,
Will they clean you up?
Will they continue to nurture your
play?
When they see your tail between your
legs,
Will they know what that means?
Will they know what you need?
Oh four-limbed friend,
Do you dare trust Love?
It's okay to mess up.
I am more than one mistake.
Mistakes mean change,
And sometimes there's nothing to fix.
Sometimes, you just continue in a healthy way.
I accept the consequences,
But I also deserve forgiveness.
I can forgive myself.
I am more than one mistake.
I can take responsibility,
And also can forgive myself and move on.
I stole something,
And maybe that something will never regrow.
But I deserve forgiveness,
Because I am more than one mistake.
It's okay to forgive myself.
It's okay to give regrowth a chance.
Quando imparerò, si dice?
Non mai...
Perché sono una creatura di abitudine.
Le persone non cambiano mai.
Speriamo e
Preghiamo e
Aspettiamo.
Questo facciamo in attesa del cambiamento.
E forse ci sarà un cambiamento.
Se le persone possono cambiare,
Anche le loro abitudini possono sviluppare.
Però,
La personalità rimarrà la stessa.
Senza un miracolo non c'è una speranza.
Speriamo e
Preghiamo e
Aspettiamo per
Uno sviluppo.
It's okay to not be okay.
I fucked up.
Maybe it was a small fuck up;
Maybe the consequences are minimal;
Maybe the consequences are temporary;
I can't un-ring the bell.
I can reflect;
I can see the signs;
I can choose different response in the future.
I learned not to fuck up this way again,
But I might fuck up again, different.
I have to be okay with that possibility.
Maybe the consequences are temporary;
Maybe they are permanent.
I accept that possibility.
It's okay for something not to be okay.
The winds change in the blink of an eye.
From the ground there's no sense to their whims.
It's out of human control.
But if you zoom out,
You'll see it's all part of something bigger.
And it's not about just you in your spot.
And maybe you can't control it,
But you can harness it for energy,
And maybe it knocks you off your feet,
But you can surf its waves.
And maybe it fucks up your plans,
But you can be fluid.
The winds can change in a blink.
And it's okay to hate them for it.
It is clear that you were candles in the wind.
You gave lights to those around you,
And you gave warmth to those closest to you.
You cared not who you provided for,
Only that you parted ways for the better.
But the wind came.
It came in unpredictable waves,
And it was beyond control.
You had shelter.
You had protection.
You had support.
But the wind came.
It snuffed out
your warmth,
your lights.
The wind came.
It did not conquer.
Your lights continue.
Your warmth goes on.
We pass them to each other,
And we remember the gifts you gave.
You were candles in the wind.
And the wind came,
but it did not conquer.
