I dance and twirl My hair fluttering in the breeze My skirt fans out as light trickles through the trees
Birds chirp up above Twigs crack beneath my feet Squirrels run above ground And bugs crawl underneath
Nature sings around me The Sun crowns me her princess The world shines from our light Smiles on both our faces
With a beautiful blue sky Peeking through the trees so green I dance through my kingdom of nature I'm the Forest Princess, Mother Earth my queen
I don't control how anyone else FEELS I don't control what anyone else DOES
They can choose how they feel about me They can choose how they want to treat me
My actions might HURT them might UPSET them might ANGER them but that wasn't my intent I did what I thought was right for me
I control me Only me Their feelings good or bad are theirs They are not my responsibility
I am responsible only for me
I cower and hide within the home I've made smelling the air straining my ears hoping I'll find the predators before they find me
I know they're out there I won't know them at first Until they attack me It's safer to stay here far, far away from everything that will hurt me
I'm only a small mouse covered in rainbow fur Different from all the others I only want to be happy Is that so wrong?
To be a small, happy rainbow mouse Is that so wrong?
I'm not alone Not at all There are so MANY people Friends Loved ones Who are there for me if I need them I only need to ask
it's only me walking My journey is only about me I am important So I will take time to care about only me
There will be time to help others later in my journey There will be time for their problems when I am ready
Until then I will reserve my strength to make sure that I have what I need to care for me
Winter, she's alright for staying in and curling up tight but I'm looking to break out and sing When we all wake up in Spring
Autumn leaves are beautiful So are trees with orange and brown bountiful But I want to see flowers blooming All of them smiling at Spring
The Summer sun smiles on everyone Young and old, all out to have fun But there's nothing like seeing hope shining As the world comes alive in Spring
I look forward to seeing her year round Whether leaves or snow on the ground When I see her awaken, I'll run out dancing Cos I'm living for Spring
Life became a mess With so little warning Tearing me away from the safety I thought I knew
What now?
What now?
I don't know
But I can worry about it Tomorrow
For today
Pause
No more worries No terror or anxiety No heartbreak or pain Let it all stay at the door
And simply be
Enjoy this moment Fear not the rest of life Put it on pause And I'll simply be
Whether under the sun or under the stars Whether close by or traveling far We'll lay out our blanket and eat our snacks Smile at each other then rest on our backs We'll reminisce about the past but only the best parts As we feel each other's love in our picnic of hearts
For so long I fell into step Like a soldier Marching to a drum
Desperate for acceptance I chased my warped idea Of “belonging” Twisting and changing Caring so much about what everyone else wanted But what about me?
I want to paint my nails to wear a skirt and soft sweater I want to stare up at the sky and daydream about magic
I care what you want But I can't force you to accept me Instead I'll do what I love Because in the end I love ME
Fear follows me Nipping at my heels whispering all the reasons to run away and hide
She has her reasons I know they're valid The world can be cruel I've lived that reality
What has that caution cost me? A lifetime of hiding away of being anyone except me of being lonely and miserable
I'm tired of hiding I'm tired of letting Fear stop me I'm tired of lying to myself No more
Yes, I am afraid Yes, there are reasons to be But I won't let Fear stop me from being me
I am here I am visible I will be seen Speaking out is scary can get me hurt ostracized abandoned But this is who I am and I will be me I will not be silent No matter how loud I have to be I will let the world know that I EXIST