I swallow the storm and lock the windows tight, terrified that if I open my mouth to speak the heavy truths of this life, the words will somehow take root in the soil and multiply the wreckage threefold. I have been taught that energy is a current that obeys the call, so I hold my breath, pretending the silence is a shield, keeping a lid on the bitter ash of those who came only to take and the distant grief of one I cannot fix. I play the anchor for everyone else while my own marrow thins, while my arm throbs with the quiet, exhausting war my body is fighting against the thief inside me. I watch the illuminated happiness of friends from the shadows of my own quiet room, aching for a heavy, protective embrace, a simple heartbeat to ground my tired bones, yet I keep the longing locked away in the dark, paralyzing my own voice out of a desperate survival instinct – convinced that to give this pain a name is to give it a permanent home. But a quiet,vital truth is breaking through the silence: giving breath to this grief is not an act of creation, but one of evacuation. To speak these words is not to plant a seed of negativity, but to clear out the stagnant weight of a house that has been sealed too long, acknowledging that energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed. Manifestation thrives on intention and focus, but this is a release, a necessary emptying of the lungs that converts raw pain into poetry, proving that I can speak the dark aloud without making it permanent, and that naming the storm is the only way to finally let it pass through me.
Tag: #poetry
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A Poem: The Cliff
The air changes first. A subtle shift in the barometric pressure of the soul, A scent of ozone and old, familiar lightning. I was standing on the plateau of my own peace, Watching the horizon I built with steady hands, Until the word – the detail – the shadow Stepped out from the brush.
Then comes the Surprise. The initial jolt of the shove. It’s not a physical hand on my back, But the weight of a ghost from a decade ago. Whispering, “I know this road.” The ground beneath my boots turns to vapor, And suddenly, the gravity of the past Claims its right to my heart.
I am Falling. And I am reaching. A desperate need to grab at the thin, cold air – Clutching for the “what ifs” and the “signs,” Trying to snag my fingernails into the cracks of a potential That was never solid to begin with. My mind is a frantic bird, Beating its wings against the memory of the souls And the wreckage of lives I tried to mend with my own skin.
Then the Fear sets in. It’s a cold, metallic hum in my marrow. My chest tightens, a rebel’s armor suddenly too small, As the physical truth of the descent takes hold. My pulse is the rhythm of the “warning,” A percussion of panic that beats against my ribs, Reminding me of the texture of the stones below.
I can see the Landing. It feel inevitable – The thud of the “fixer,” The bruise of the “believer,” The heavy silence that follows the crash of a dream That wasn’t tethered to reality.
But still… I am. I am the one who measures the wind. And even as the “fall” screams through my nervous system, I realize the Cliff is an illusion Constructed by my own survival. I don’t have to hit the ground. I can simply breathe, Step back into the center of my own quiet land, And realize that I am the earth – And the earth does not fall.
~ Elizabeth Proett
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Becoming The Right Person
We’ve all been there. That first date, filled with hopeful smiles, witty banter, and an underlying current of anxious anticipation. The quiet question hangs in the air, heavier than any silence; “Is this the right person?”
It’s a question that follows us through life. The right person to date? The right person to marry? The right person to build a life with? We spend countless hours, energy, and emotional bandwidth searching for this elusive “perfect match.” We read books, we ask friends, we scroll through endless profiles on dating apps. But Jay Jay Douglas offers a profound and eye-opening shift in perspective: “Become the right person and the right person will recognize you.”
Think about that for a moment. It shifts the focus from an external search to an internal transformation. And Douglas dives deeper into this concept, offering insights that are both a bit challenging and liberating.
The Problem With Chasing Love
We’re so focused on finding the right person that we often neglect a more fundamental question: Am I becoming the right person?
The truth is, your ability to attract and sustain a healthy relationship is directly linked to your relationship with yourself. As Douglas rightly points out:
*”The truth is, you can not recognize healthy love when you are not healthy yourself.” If your inner landscape is full of insecurity, self-doubt, or unresolved baggage, you’ll struggle to appreciate genuine love when it appears.
*”When you don’t respect your own boundaries, you will keep entertaining the people who ignore them.” Without self-respect, you’re prone to tolerating behavior that is beneath you.
*”When you don’t know your worth, you will keep negotiating it with the people who benefit from your debt.” Knowing your worth is not about arrogance; it’s about a solid understanding of your value. If you don’t have it, others with inevitably undervalue you.
*”If you don’t have peace within, you will keep confusing intensity with connection.” This is a powerful one. We often mistake the roller-coaster of intense, dramatic situations for a deep connection, when real connection is often grounded in peace and stability.
Be The Rooted Tree
Douglas uses a beautiful analogy: “A good tree produces good fruit but a tree does not go looking for fruit: It focuses on being rooted well. When the roots are healthy, the fruit follows.”
Relationships work the same way. The “fruit” – a healthy, fulfilling, lasting relationship – isn’t something you chase down. It’s something that naturally flourishes when you, the “tree,” are healthy and well-rooted.
What does it mean to be a well-rooted person?
~Grounded in Who You Are: This means having a strong sense of self-identity that isn’t dependent on external validation. You know your strengths, your weaknesses, your values, and your passions.
~Steady Character: Your principles don’t sway with every passing trend or the opinions of others. You act with integrity and consistency.
~Identity Rooted in Integrity: Your self-worth comes from within, from living authentically and with honor, not from seeking approval or status.
The Shift Inside You
When you make this internal shift, something magical happens. You stop the desperate chase. You start BECOMING the right person.
This isn’t about striving for some abstract ideal of perfection. It’s about a commitment to self-growth. It’s about becoming:
<Someone who knows how to love without losing themselves. You understand that a healthy partnership involves two whole individuals, not one person trying to complete another.
<Someone who knows how to give without abandoning their values. You are generous and compassionate, but you also have strong healthy boundaries that protect your well-being.
<Someone who can recognize peace when it shows up instead of mistaking chaos for chemistry. You develop an emotional intelligence that allows you to value genuine, calm, and supportive connection over dramatic, emotionally turbulent situations.
Preparation Over Pursuit
And here’s the crucial piece: “The right person for you is not just someone you find, it is someone you are prepared for.”
You could be standing right in front of your ideal partner, and if you haven’t done the internal work, you won’t even recognize them. You might misinterpret their kindness for weakness, their stability for boredom, or their peacefulness for a lack of excitement.
So instead of a desperate plea to the universe for “the one,” Douglas suggests a different prayer: “Before you ask the ‘Universe/God’ to send the right person into your life, ask ‘it’ to shape you into the person who can sustain the relationship you are praying for.”
This is the ultimate shift in power. You are no longer a passive participant waiting for happiness to be delivered to you. You are an active creator, cultivating the inner landscape that makes you a magnet for genuine, healthy love.
When you become the right person, something fundamental changes inside you. You stop chasing love and, in that place of quiet strength and self-acceptance, you actually recognize it when it arrives.
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The Traveler: A Poem
This one is dedicated to the time traveler… may you find your peace.
A strange detachment settled, light and deep,
After the letting go, the endless weep.
The old connections, fraying, snapped, and fell,
And in that quiet, new perceptions swell.
Now, when I meet a soul, a curious shift,
I feel a time traveler, blessed with a rare gift.
Stepping into moments, brief and undefined,
With all the past and future left behind.
Each face a fleeting glimpse, a whispered age,
A character upon life’s endless stage.
I see their hopes, their laughter, and their stride,
As if from centuries, I’ve stepped aside.
A momentary presence, here and then gone,
Observing life’s procession, from dusk til dawn.
A gentle current, through the ages I roam,
No longer rooted, nor truly far from home.
Now when I walk, the crowd’s of fleeting show,
A timeless journey, watching currents flow.
Each face, a story, briefly intersects,
A curious glance, the moment it reflects.
I sip the laughter, touch the casual hand,
A transient guest within a foreign land.
Observing nuance, learning silent cues,
The human drama, with its vibrant hues.
But there’s a distance, finely, keenly honed,
A quiet readiness, perfectly owned.
No rooted branch, no deep, entwining vine,
Just quick detachment, effortlessly mine.
I am the traveler, seeing all unfold,
A story witnessed, gracefully untold.
An observer always, poised and ever free,
Never quite of the group, just watching, me.
