A Little Thanks in a Big Way

Little did I know,
While standing so tall,
I wasn’t truly doing
Much growing at all.

A mask tied so tight,
Even I couldn’t see—
My entire existence,
Was I living as me?

Doing my best
In the worst kinds of ways,
Tripping through life
In a self-doubting haze.

Always honest and kind,
But maybe too much.
Giving away all my
Love, time, and trust.

I spent my life chasing,
But led it with fear.
Hoping to catch what,
Year after year?

I’d jump both feet in,
Give it all that I’ve got,
But jump both feet out,
When it started to get hot.

Then I’d lay myself down
To provide a dry spot—
Not for me, but for others,
My own needs soon forgot.

A house neat and tidy,
But don’t look under the rug—
That’s where I swept all,
When it started to tug.

The grief, pain, and heartbreak,
A lump you could see,
Under a rug that
Essentially, represents me.

Never facing my fears,
My doubts, or my struggles.
Never knowing one day,
It would all over-bubble.

Holding tight onto things
That weren’t meant to be held,
I dropped the one thing
And I watched as it fell.

Most important to grip
With a bubbling pot,
Pausing to be grateful
For all that I’ve got.

When all hope was lost,
I took a second to see,
The power of pausing,
And being grateful for me.

For the feet that keep moving
Day after day.
Rarely stopping to rest,
Yet never complain.

For the heart that beats on
When love’s ripped away,
For the love that it felt,
No matter the stay.

Thank you to this body,
That carried my child,
To say he’s my world,
Is putting it mild.

Thank you for the empathy
I feel in my soul,
Without it I don’t think
I’d ever feel whole.

Thank you for the courage
That’s taken over the fear.
I’ll now stand and face it,
And I won’t shed a tear.

I’m thankful for my thoughts,
So deep and bold,
Living life in a box
must surely get old.

Thank you for putting in
All your hard work,
When I better myself
I live with the perks.

For my hands that can hold
So many things—
My child, my paintbrush,
And family rings.

They never cease to amaze
What they’re capable of,
Building my dreams—
A true gift from above.

I’m grateful for my mind
That powers it all,
That tells me to rise
With each stumble and fall.

A mind so creative,
Yet chaotic inside,
Thank you for the crazy
Ideas that reside.

Thank you for your talents,
Though ignored far too long.
Now we’ve embrace them,
They keep growing strong.

When I start to feel sad,
And life feels upside-down,
I know the act of gratitude,
Can be truly profound.

So Thank you to my eyes,
That finally came to see,
The main thing in my way,
Has been me not loving me.

I started truly thanking me,
Once or twice a day.
As I kept on doing this,
My sadness began to fade.

Now my everday routine,
Each morning when I wake,
Is to take a quiet moment,
To Breath and to give thanks.

Through gratitude and kindness,
I’ve found the love I need,
To live this life authentically,
To live this life as me.