The Shadow

I sit in silence. The voices in my head, all talking at the same time about the shadow from my past. His reappearance, has set my world on fire. Happiness, confusion, and a never ending why? Gone so long yet now so present. Present in a way I don’t deserve. Distance disappearing with every word spoken. I try to be cautious, but get consumed by this familiar being that reaches for my hand to save me from myself. His expectations are overwhelming. The weight of them suffocating me until I feel almost breathless. Then I see his face and hear him say“I’m right here.“ Those words cradle me and bring me back to existence. The security of his touch compels me to move forward. Cautiously, I start again, trying not to unbreak the brokenness, but instead to embrace who I am because of it.