27 Years Ago

I was golden and shiny and eager to share light with all

But they squinted at me and were uncomfortable

So I put the first layer on

His name was Ron and he fit their description of who I should be with

It was uncomfortable and itchy all the criticism he gave me

I was too sensitive

So I put another layer on

Just be good... just trust God... it will all be okay

I had my babies 1... 2... 3

I had my babies and my babies had me

I rocked my little loves and loved them best I could

But still I wasn't worth enough so I put another layer on

It's hard to move with all this clay caked around my heart

It's hard to see now that the light has been hidden in the dark

In 2012 she handed me a chisel and whispered in my ear

'This will hurt. I will not lie. This will hurt but you will not die.

You are worth so much more than all this clay you're covered in.

Use the chisel. Please be strong. Use the chisel. We need your song.'

It took weeks to do it. I was so afraid.

It took weeks to do it but my choice was made.

I set you free and myself too. But my wedding ring still haunts me.

A butterfly sits in its place.

But that golden broken promise still sits stubborn in my mind

Strange that I used a golden ring to cover up the gold in me

And here I am ten years from when I left you

Here I am stronger and brighter

Ten years from when I said goodbye but still so much chiseling to do

That's okay. I'll continue on

My gold whispers me to sleep and then whispers me awake

My gold tells me my worth is nothing they can take

My gold is pure just like yours, the one who reads this now

Our gold is what brought us here to sing together Life's bright song