In the quiet

is where the truth rings the loudest,

there is no need to strain yourself to hear

what it is trying to say;

despite your reluctance to listen, in the quiet

is where you can wrestle with the truth;

it is where you can confront it however way you want;

it is where you can allow the truth to wash over you

and allow it to sweep

the lies you’ve come to believe.

In the quiet

is where you’ve tucked away,

only to be forgotten-perhaps unintentionally,

your innocence, that inner child

capable of laughing even after scraping their knees when they fall;

that inner child who would playfully

wear their slippers on the wrong foot;

that inner child capable of making a mess while eating chocolate,

smearing them everywhere, on their cheeks,

on the couch, on the curtains,

on the walls, leaving handprints to follow;

and wiping them without a care on that white

Care Bears shirt, only to be chased around by their mother with a broom,

scolding at the top of her lungs

while thinking how to take care of the stains,

and that inner child would continue to run around, giggling,

as if it was all part of the fun, and all was well.

In the quiet is where your most honest self lies waiting,

where your desires are unfiltered,

where there is no shame and guilt for wanting to be loved

in the way you believe you deserve;

to want someone who would look at you without lust,

and would love you even when your belly spills

and folds over as you sit eating another slice of your favorite cake.

Do not be afraid of the quiet, of the silence, of the stillness,

where your heartbeat is the clearest, that you are alive;

where every dark thought that comes to pass

also brings with it goodness, happiness, and joy;

where every breath you’ve kept on holding and taking for granted

is a precious gift, a nourishment for the soul.

So embrace the quiet and the stillness eagerly,

because the world has become too noisy and overwhelming,

drowning out the light and goodness that you alone can bring.

Lean into the silence, into your quiet and your peace,

let it cradle you,

until you find the courage to come back to your truest self.