#cierrajaye

you are the romance you give on a Sunday morning. you are the warm kiss laid on a collarbone and shoulder blade. you are the ease of a stroll taken to enjoy the sight of Fall’s trees, and the scent of sweetness from the stove after an already full belly.

you are the joy of Christmas morning.

and the cheer of someone’s favorite surprise.

you are the dew before sunrise, the calm during night fall. you are the diamond; and the rough.

you are light on the gloomiest, dreariest days and the grace that a smile to a stranger brings. you are as complex as a determined mind crippled by a million thoughts trying to align themselves to their own solutions.

you are both mountain, and valley. you are the river, and the ocean. you are softness; and frigidness — friction and flow. you are both sureness and contradiction. you are a conundrum and a revelation.

“You’re good at the things that matter most.”

Although imperfect, I do the things that matter most: well. And to the very best of my ability. I show up. I come clean. I apologize in spite of my pride. I take steps forward, despite the difficulty, because strides matter. They make a difference in the long run. I prioritize making sure elders maintain their dignity. I take a moment to sit in decisions that require less of me and more of a positive heart posture. Honing my self-awareness remains at the top of my life’s task list. I’ve worked at this, slowly and steadily and the progress may seem stagnant sometimes. But, I remind myself to stay present. Discomfort included. It shapes, it transforms and it strengthens areas far beyond the intended effort. And most importantly, I make sure I’m always aware that I’m proud of myself for doing this.