Kindness

Looking to the stars meant giving hope to the next day, a silent promise on our lips to choose kindness over the harsh world around us. But our words slip from our minds as we face the world head on. Gripping the fabric of reality as the world comes crashing down around us. The waterfall above us trickling, nursing our thoughts and emotions. Manageable as we savor the coolness of the water; grounding us from the world.

Worthless slips from our tongue, starting a spiraling of thoughts; a dam overflowing with doubts and hurt and numbness. We sit in the waters of the waterfall, believing these words. What is the point? We question. We no longer wish to push ourselves up from the water, the spoons we use to dig ourselves out are broken and lay at our knees. The water heavy against our backs, falling to our hands as the rush of water deafens our ears.

Lazy echoes around us. The waterfall weighing us down as we can't help but stay in our spot, still but fighting silently. We're tired, our bodies ache. We have no strength to carry the weight of the waterfall flowing down our backs. The words sinking us deeper into the water as they grow louder.

Thoughtless shares the echoed cavern. Angered figures circling our space, shouting demands of carelessness as we hold out our hand to seek help before we drown. But we sink deeper as we fail those around us. Failed to help those in need. A rush of water sending us to the floor.

The world sinks around us, the waterfall pushing us down under the surface, spinning us until we no longer know which way is up. A dome hiding our eyes as we are hidden in the darkness of the depths. Hiding away from the shame in ourselves. We let everyone down. We were too weak to carry the weight of the waterfall at our backs, the cold water sending shivers of doubt into the marrow of our bones.

Will I ever be enough? Will I be able to carry the weight of the water? Have I failed to keep those I love happy?

A hand brushes our shoulder, the touch sending hope to our fingertips as we grasp the fingers. A savoir in among the waves and rushing water. They pull us to the surface and onto dry land, holding us close to their chest. Their heartbeat steady against our ear and the rising and falling of their chest reminding us of the rhythm of our own. We close are eyes, the movements grounding us, the world slowly coming to vision.

Hope echoes in our heads. A hope for a new start, a breaking of clouds against the darkness of a storm. Hope meant to snuff out the doubts in our minds as we heal, tend to ourselves. Hope of being held against the rushing waters. A hope for a helping hand as we scramble for the broken spoons to help us from our sinking ship.

Light shows around us, the clouds breaking and the storm fading. The sun warming our face and warming the dampness in our bones. Warmth of an embrace we've longed for, a break in the rushing waters. A moment of stillness.

Worthy etches itself into our thoughts. We are worth the love and the kindness we receive from those around us. We are capable of taking it and holding it close to our hearts. The figure warps its arms around us, grounding us and for once, we sink into their form closing our eyes, taking in the moment that felt too far out of reach.

We lift our faces to the savoir from the water and find ourselves mirrored, but healed. A face still clouded with doubts, but capable of lighting a candle and finding our way forward. Kindness comes from within. We hold the light close to our chest, letting the flame spark something within our hearts and turning to the waterfalls around us. Once recharged, we can heal others. But we stay, nursing our candle until we can light the way.