Photo Friday

As the days pass, and they quickly do, I find myself more and more drawn to the art of simple living. Life of quietness and peace, having only what I need, and the simplicity of the things I enjoy. Carrying love in my heart, and hope in my veins, and breathing deeply, in and out, letting the air sink and expand in my lungs. Then releasing so that I can start over again, and it feels good to breathe deep.

It's a good thing, though painful, to realize my wrongs. To hear things said, to know things deep inside that must change, that are changing. But I'm not running, I'm not racing, I'm pacing myself through this web of hard lessons. I'm daily looking inward, and as I do, realizing how insignificant, how small, how weak, how frail, how lowly and how broken I am. And in seeing these things, I am coming to a place of understanding. What it is, I cannot summon in words, not yet. But I can feel it stirring, I can feel my heart of stone shaking up, my coldness turning warm. I see people. I see the rawness of life. I see the bubble I've been in. This dangerous and hypocritical hub I've placed myself in, untouchable. I'm reaching out, I'm seeing it  now. And I want the simple truth. The good, pure, honest truth. I want it planted so deep within me that I live it, real.

I want some rich soil, some fresh air, some laugh lines on my face. 

Purity, true. Not pretentiously mustered up or handmade by me. And I want to love from my heart, a swollen heart. Not from my head, where it's give and take and rules that don't fit. Rules for myself, rules for other people. Break free now.

Clarity, peace, quietness, love, grace. Oh, forgiveness. God-things shattering my cold, hard-for-too-long, bitter, bitter, heart. 

Simple.