The Shell
Walking on the beach last night, I found a shell. When I picked it up I saw that it was cracked. The thrashing of the waves and the wind had worn the shell down some, but there was still some of it that was intact. There were barnacles crusted on the shell, adding to it. The shell had a lot of character and I decided I would take it home with me. Like that shell, I felt cracked. Like that shell, I have survived many storms. Like that shell, I feel that there are parts of me that are still intact. I know that I will weather the storms now as I have in the past, and when the storm dies down, I will get to the other side of it intact, and perhaps even have some new growth to show.
Tears
They well up in your eyes, threatening to break free. You try to make them go away because you're afraid to feel the pain that comes with them. Some days it's easy to make the tears go away, and other days there is just no stopping them. Your eyes explode and the tears that have been tucked away for so many years are let loose. With every tear that falls, you feel the pain that has not been allowed to surface. Your body starts to shake and the pain travels up to your mouth. The noises that you make sound like a wounded animal. The tears can last for days, and just when you think you will not survive another minute of crying, you are able to stop them and build up your strength for the next time the tears need to be seen and heard. All of this is very scary, but you know that with every tear that falls, you're healing just a little bit more.
Clouds
There was one place for me that always felt safe. Among my clouds. Whenever I looked up they were there. Sometimes they would be pink instead of white. I liked those the most. I could feel myself jumping around in my clouds. They were always soft and kept me safe. In my clouds I had no fears. No one could hurt me. I always wished I could live in them, and in my mind there were many times when I did. Now that I am sorting through my life, I have found myself looking for my clouds again. They're still there and I find them a good place to go when the ghosts from my past come to visit. My clouds are still soft and still make me feel safe. There are so many of them that I want to share them with everyone. Everyone should have their own clouds. Here, take one of mine.