Melancholy

I live in melancholy
so, just let me
my sadness is just that,
sadness

I linger here when I'm called to
there's no reason not to

to acknowledge the arduous cold of sad 
is to invite the light 
and gentle happy
or peace or release,
at the least

and you can meet me there sometime soon
if it's too cold for you here
I won't hold it against you

being afraid to brave the cold
when you feel you've nothing to gain
when you've never been taught to feel your pain
parents often make that mistake

I lived that way until I learned that to embrace
the frigid scorch of sad 
is to welcome the healing power of permission

to feel
and know

that peace will follow
and joy will take root
and self-love will grow

Thank you for reading. Thank you for existing. Be courageous in the midst of melancholy. Sink in without drowning. Look for the lighthouse of love in the distance and float on, dear human.

– Maddy