Breath (a poem to myself)

Breathe, breathe deeply.
The past trauma is gone.
Scream if necessary.
Exhale the injustice, the violence, the gaslighting.

Inhale the fresh air of peace.
Exhale the predators – they are long gone.
Inhale the fight for freedom.
Exhale the past abuse.

Inhale the years of healing, 
the fruit of hard work.
Exhale the past terror.
Inhale your growing boundaries.

Exhale the false guilt.
You have discovered your heart
with its full spectrum of emotions.
Inhale love for yourself and others.

Inhale the upward climb.
Reach for the next step.
Enjoy the view.
See how far you’ve climbed.

Some people conquer mountains.
You have conquered generational violence.
You have not passed it forward.
Now you offer healing to others.

Stay true to the climb 
and to who you are.
One step forward today.
The view gets better.

Inhale deeply the fresh air of personal autonomy.
You are now free enough to soar.
Your wings were once clipped; 
but see how they continue to heal.

Feel and embrace your new strength.
You are stronger than you’ve been taught.
Exhale the past lies.
Inhale the truth of your being.

Inhale the growth your parents and teachers never had.
Inhale the pursuit of peace and integrity and freedom.
Breathe and climb higher still.
Exhale the toxins which were forced upon you.

Exhale the toxic theologians 
and all their deceptions.
They fooled you in your late teens.  
They pretended to be your friends.

Then they showed their true colors.
They swindled and threatened 
and slandered and betrayed. 
Inhale your escape from the simplistic facades.

Exhale their hatred and judgmental sludge.
Exhale their arrogance and duplicity.
Inhale your new freedom.
Exhale the demand for justice.

The nightmare is gone; 
twilight has come.
The past terror is more and more 
a distant memory.

Embrace the healthy relationships.
Freedom. Wholeness. Integrity.
Autonomy. New life energy.  
You continue to climb.

– Healing Heart Warrior (Tom M.)