Letter to my heart

Blogher, the wonderful Web site for women on all topics, stages, and places in life (and umm, by the way, please clickity click on the ad in the box to the right of this post and the recommended reading below it, brought to you by the one and the same blogher peeps)  has introduced and suggested this meme (suggested themes for writing, especially electronically):

Write a letter to your heart

And so it begins… it turns out I had a lot to say:

Letter to my heart

Be not afraid, my heart
You are rich, thicker than you think
with cords of red and purple velvet support
they will not bind you
are there to cushion,
should you let them

You are not made of construction paper
cut neatly with plastic scissors along the arc
You are not sugarwafer
Nor stamped with a message to advertise
impressing on your organs and your soul

Be generous and not threatened
There’s more, not less of you each day
and with each opening you allow
the pulsing , bulbous rhythm
of contract
and release
is your syncopation. your melody and song.
you decide if there is harmony

Remember the hurts less
the loves more
It is within your choosing.

But forgive yourself
the scars that are left behind
especially the Big One
a break, a rip, tearing organs and passages and chambers,
at a time you were most fragile,
not girl still nor woman yet, twelve,
when you had only childlike ways to heal
and so you did, paste and staple back together
and it was hard
and messy
in ways that make breathing and beating
sometimes feel strained now.
You had no other tools, then.

but you are not fixed
you can grow, reshape, refeel, remold
or not mold at all, leaving room
for the stretching you have yet to do

Be patient with those who want to reach you
Be loving and open, forgiving
willing to change and to feel and believe
the good that befalls you

And I will try, too.

10 Comments

  1. Posts about Mashups and Memes as of February 15, 2009 | The Lessnau Lounge said,

    Wrote on February 15, 2009 @ 4:07 pm

    […] next?GO buy old encyclopedias–they will soon be contraband too.I love the Mute Monday meme Letter to my heart – washwords.com 02/15/2009 Letter to my heart Written by [ User Image]washwords (I also say) […]

  2. EKSwitaj said,

    Wrote on February 15, 2009 @ 9:39 pm

    I really like the stanza about not being construction paper. Too often the advertising campaigns and in-school crafts make us forget what we’re really made of.

  3. Cat said,

    Wrote on February 15, 2009 @ 10:03 pm

    WOW. I loved this – how it made me think of tangible things that I know in order to create a picture in my mind. Wonderful work!

    And thank you for your comment on my post – it means allot to be heard.

    Cat

    Cats last post: I call him Puzzle Master

  4. washwords said,

    Wrote on February 15, 2009 @ 10:50 pm

    Thank you both so much. It is an honor to find your blogs. Cat, i think it was yours where I was trying to comment on one post and couldn’t so had to leave a comment in the “wrong” box.

    anyway, your comments, their specificity and the depth of your writing is inspiring and much appreciated. please do come back!

  5. Lisa Stone said,

    Wrote on February 16, 2009 @ 1:10 pm

    What a beautiful post – thank you for sharing it. How ironic is it that true courage requires allowing openness and vulnerability when our hearts are involved? You are brave. Bravo!

    Lisa Stones last post: Welcome to Joss Whedon’s "Dollhouse"


    <strong>WW says:
    Thank you!

  6. washwords said,

    Wrote on February 16, 2009 @ 3:39 pm

    WW says

    @Lisa Stone: Thank you so much and thanks for the blogher “featured blogher”, too, Lisa, if that was you. I find I come back and move away from blogher and I’m always so glad when I do come back, so truly touched and awed by the talent and insight there from so many different perspectives. not kissing up. just true.

  7. Erin said,

    Wrote on February 18, 2009 @ 9:38 am

    This was lovely. I love the simplicity of the parts, the paper, staples, and tape. A really good way to start my day…by stretching.

    The funny thing is when you came my way, my dear you letter was not the one to my heart. Mine was much more raucous than that. But I appreciate the compliment anyhow.

    Erins last post: STORMY

  8. washwords said,

    Wrote on February 18, 2009 @ 10:55 pm

    WW says: @Erin: thank you! yes, i totally remember cutting out these construction paper hearts. and I know I realized later that was not your heart post partway through but still… I loved it and it did fit with the theme. I will be back…hope you’ll do the same

  9. Ceggydoo said,

    Wrote on February 23, 2009 @ 9:47 am

    😉
    xoxo

  10. washwords said,

    Wrote on February 23, 2009 @ 10:17 pm

    mwah! why thank you miss ceggydoo!

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