LET THE HEALING BEGIN. HERE.

Let the healing begin. Here.

In my menacing mind, my theatrical thoughts,

in my heat-seeking heart, my all-encompassing attitudes, 

in my fickle feelings and my knee-jerk reactions, 

in my isolating opinions and my jaded judgments,

let the healing begin. Here.

No matter who I am or where I’ve been,

no matter what color my strips or what’s at stake,

no matter how I got here, or where I hope to go,

let the healing begin. Here.

It can’t begin over there,

no matter where “over there” is,

no matter who, besides me, is to blame.

Yes, “they” have their part in all this,

but I have no control over them.

No matter who I think is responsible,

I only have sovereignty over me.

Let the healing begin. Here.

If it doesn’t happen here, 

there’s no guarantee it’ll happen at all.

And even if it does, no proof it’ll last.

If I’m focusing on someone else’s healing

I’m wasting my time and their wellbeing

If I’m waiting for them to take the first step,

I’m fooling myself and failing them.

Let the healing begin. Here.

How, exactly, should I begin? Where?

I think I’ll begin with thankfulness,

I’m going to name all the things 

for which I’m thankful,

even the things in that person 

or those people over there,

the ones that are so different from me

that my ego is telling me 

there is something wrong with them.

The ego. Now there’s another good place to start.

Not theirs. Mine. 

Let the healing begin. Here.