All I did was feel

What we all truly NEED to do - feel the emotions that come along in the moments and phases of our lives without judgment. For many of us, for varied and personal reasons, it is something that is not always easy. I'm grateful that I've learned to be at peace with whatever feelings come up in me and that I can be present and supportive of my self. Not that I don't cherish the people in my life who enjoy my company and with whom I can share and process - it's just that I'm happy that now I can be there/here for me as freely as I can be there for others.

All I Did Was Feel

As I forge into my newness
I am compelled to look back to honor where I have been.
I am filled with gratitude and love,
yet still there is some angst.
There are times when I can just go with my flow and I feel so easy.
Those times are becoming more and more prevalent.
As I ponder the path I have traveled,
gently turning my head to marvel at the obstacles I maneuvered
around and through,
I choose to shift my focus and drink in the depth and value of my discoveries.
Self-worth, connectedness within and without,
fear replaced by love,
and the deep realization that I truly have done nothing wrong.
All I did was feel.
The judgment that I experienced from those on the outside,
those who could not know,
who did not want to share,
who thought they knew how I should travel –
that judgment is not mine.
Only I know the magnitude of my loss,
only I can move ahead on a path
illuminated by an exhilarating combination
of virgin learnings and vintage wisdom.
Only I can decide how I feel about me
and where to go next.
I am not wrong, as all I did was feel whatever it
was I felt all along the way.
And that’s what I will continue to do.
No judgment, no worries,
just feeling my way along this radiant path
that is mine.

Sarah Carlson

February 5, 2009