
Paralyzing fear closes tightly in
as yesterday’s wasted opportunities
seep through its prison walls,
collecting in the night’s mind
as infinitely heavy clouds of regret,
gathering behind powerful eyes
that weep morning dew
upon the ground beneath our feet,
upon the waking world all around —
quenching thirsty grasses, flowers, and trees
whose breathy sighs of relief
fill our lungs with second, third, and thirtieth chances,
giving us daily the gift of life,
giving us daily the gift of choice —
the gift of choosing bravery and honesty
over quietly hiding,
the gift of choosing nurturing kindness
over narrow selfishness,
the gift of choosing
more and more every day
mindful purpose and gratitude
over succumbing to
the walls closing in around us.
Renee Novosel
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