The Courage To Be Seen
Wildflowers bloom everywhere without asking for permission
This time I simply want to share a couple of poems. I have been playing with words since a tender age. As a teenager I wrote short stories. Later on, I experimented with poetry. It is remarkable what judgement does to us: how it impacts our self-belief, confidence and ultimately self-worth. It took me years to restart and return to a blissful activity that allowed me to get in touch with and share my emotions. As adults, growing responsibilities and criticism often take a toll on our creativity; we rarely allow ourselves space for hobbies or activities that bring us pure joy.
Summer is a good season to reengage with your inner child and play — without going for a specific outcome or need to achieve anything. It may not be with words — consider this your invitation to come back to what makes you truly alive.
As you engage with this work, notice any sensations, emotions or thoughts -e.g. not being good enough- popping up. Name them with no judgement but rather a sense of curiosity. Pay attention and stay present with these. You are not alone in feeling that way.
These short poems did not require hours sitting in front of a laptop. On the contrary, they emerged from engaging with the world, from paying attention to what is happening around me.
A poem for the wildfires
The first one was born from a devastating wildfire picture someone dear to me shared. Having had my own experiences with wildfires from childhood, these words came through with an unobstructed fierceness.
The second popped up while sitting on the porch of our countryside house, noticing nature around me, feeling the warmth of the sun and a sense of lightness.
A poem for Joy
I share both here as I feel they complement each other and I want to “live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world”, as Rainer Maria Rilke claimed long before me.
It’s a simple reminder to allow less (self-) judgement and release the need for external validation. I enjoyed the creative process and that’s enough. Whatever you may receive from reading them is also enough. If this stirred something in you — a longing to create, to be seen, to stop waiting for permission — that longing is worth listening to.
And if something in you is asking for more than a poem to get unstuck or reclaim your creativity and authenticity — I'm here for that too. It is not a quick fix, and it’s never too late!
