we will rise again

even in the most difficult moments,

in the really dark & lonely times,

on the days when you felt everything

and on the days when you felt nothing at all,

on the nights you cried yourself to sleep

and the mornings when you couldn’t get out of bed

even when you felt detached and distant 

or hopeless and empty

or fearful and anxious

when the impending doom of “what if’s” 

and worst case scenarios loomed over you

like a dark storm cloud,

threatening to strike you down….

when the intrusive thoughts consumed your mind,

eating away at your sense of self,

convincing you that you were a terrible person 

unworthy, undeserving, unlovable, unsafe, 

a lost cause, too far gone….

even when you felt like you were drowning in silence,

screaming for someone to notice 

feeling like you couldn’t hold on any longer….

still, you woke up the next morning

and chose to keep fighting

you kept holding on to hope,

even when it felt impossible

YOU DID THAT

and you are still here

breathing, living, fighting 

even in the breaking, 

you still held on

and lived to see the beginning of the mending

you did that 

we did that

and we can do it again

one day at a time,

even when it feels like we can barely take another step

because even the darkest nights end

and the sun rises again

so we too will rise 

slowly, steadily, and beautifully

like the birds of the sky,

we will take flight 

and soar to new heights 

and when night falls, when the darkness approaches, 

we will find shelter among the trees,

build our homes in the branches,

rest in the shade where the breeze

blows softly

we will weather the storms that come our way,

gathering strength for each new day

this journey is not linear,

but someone once told me that we are always moving forward,

with ups and downs, and highs and lows,

but still making progress nevertheless

so even on the days where we grow tired and feel defeated,

we can rest in the knowledge that we are still doing our best, still growing,

and still learning how to mend our broken wings

so that we can soar again

all my love,

someone who is fighting right beside you