Life taught her well – hide beneath pretty packaging, paint sleeves pink like brittle . fingernails to ward off the curious and offer a semblance of heart without . engagement. Scars mean band-aids, amateurish wrappings to disguise the terror . of being known, the risk of offering her self and finding that she is…

peonyblush.jpg

 

Life taught her well –

hide beneath pretty

packaging, paint sleeves

pink like brittle

.

fingernails to ward

off the curious

and offer a semblance

of heart without

.

engagement. Scars

mean band-aids,

amateurish wrappings

to disguise the terror

.

of being known, the

risk of offering her

self and finding that

she is not enough.

Responses to “Hide”

  1. slaumkie

    Reblogged this on Stereotypical Teen Girl.

  2. Revelations in Writing

    Powerful words that touch such tender space… Yet He says, in Him, we are “enough”.

    1. melodylowes

      And those layers we hide in are no longer required! This piece is about finding that new truth, groping for a new way of living and relating and operating, with no need to hide, knowing that all external effort does is to cloud internal beauty. Thanks Shannon!!

  3. Gallivanta

    Two thoughts: it’s fascinating that a flower simply opens up and blooms and rarely is there an imperfection in that instinctive blooming. Its internal beauty is simply there without a qualm or a blush. If a flower can do it, why is it so hard for us? 2) In our paper today, words from a great NZ poet, James K Baxter, which you may like ” How good does one have to be to become acceptable to God? This clumsy, lucky fly broke through the web and blundered into the arms of the unjudging Father. God loves us, not because we are good, but because he is good…..He accepts us in our true spiritual dishevelment.” Being very disheveled myself today, I found those words rather lovely.

    1. melodylowes

      Balm to my soul today, friend! I am not good – but I know who is!! A flower is beautiful because it can’t help it – it has been designed to be so. And so are we – it is in our DNA. I love that!

      1. Gallivanta

        Yes, I believe it is in our DNA. It must be! Why would we be any less valuable or precious than those beautiful flowers?

      2. melodylowes

        Exactly right!

  4. tinamhunt

    It’s one thing to “know” we are enough…sometimes I just forget how to feel it. This put words to a feeling I’ve been struggling with and enabled me to take it to prayer. Thank you.

    1. melodylowes

      It is my struggle too, to allow the cognitive truth I know to filter through to my heart. May you be blessed as you make the transition, too!

  5. RoSy

    I totally get this. I have petals that I put up for protection too sometimes.

    1. melodylowes

      Maybe we all do. To some extent, it can be healthy – we get to choose who we ‘let it all hang out’ with. It takes wisdom to set appropriate boundaries, ones that will let the good in, too. Thanks for sharing your heart on this one, Rosy.

  6. Robert Rife

    “the terror of being known”…this is always our deepest need and greatest fear. We run toward and away from what we need most.

    1. melodylowes

      What a conflict! And what a joy to let down our guard and realize that our flaws and strengths are all loved, honoured, appreciated…

      1. Robert Rife

        There is no life without death, no reconstruction without damage, no redemption without sin. An achingly difficult paradox…

      2. melodylowes

        Lose your life to find it, die to self to find truest self – quite the epic journey to embark upon.

      3. Robert Rife

        Yuppers.

  7. lillyswansong

    All I can say is WOW!

    1. melodylowes

      Thank you so much! I’ll take it! 🙂

  8. beeseeker

    Would just echo the comment from Revelations in Writing and congratulate you on the style of this one.

    1. melodylowes

      Thank you very much!

  9. Caddo-Jael

    Gorgeous photo.

    1. melodylowes

      Thank you! I am anxiously awaiting your new venture – hoping you are not gone long…????

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