Five Minute Friday: She

Every Friday, I spend five minutes or so writing on a word prompt from the Five Minute Friday community. Then, I hit publish. Good for the writing muscles and for cultivating a playful approach to the writing work that can sometimes be taken oh-so-seriously.

she
used to feel afraid

and then she learned
fear 
was not something to lock in the closet
to make noises at night

so she invited the anxiety into the living room and taught her how to dance

she 
used to feel guilty

and then she figured out
shame
is a bully from the playground
looking for prey

so she yanked away contempt’s switch, busted it in two across bare thigh, and bought him lunch

she 
used to feel enraged

and then she understood
anger
is a beacon of hope
because change shows up too

so she welcomed ire to the table to tell the unlistened-to tales, and together they wrote revolution

she
made time to listen
and learned about love 

she 
made room for everyone
and had space left over

she 
made peace with her enemies
and they became her friends

You can find the link to read others’ responses to ‘SHE’ or to participate yourself here.