If You Look Deeper

If you look at my eyes you may see that they are brown.

If you look deeper you’ll see the tears I shed after every loss, every betrayal, every door that ever closed in my face; every tragedy I never saw coming.

If you look at my face you may see that I have wrinkles.

If you look deeper you’ll see the lines that burrow through my flesh represent the times I worried for my children, made a decision that tore my heart in two, or made me desperately want to go back in time and do things differently.

If you look at my body, you may see that I carry some extra weight.

If you look deeper you will see years of emotions I could not express for fear of losing love, a build-up of pounds to protect my heart from being hurt, a shield to resist the slings and arrows life hurled at me every time I tried to find just one moment of peace.

If you look at my posture, you may see that I am bent.

If you look deeper you will see that the burdens I carried were often more than I could bear, the weight of my worries broke my back, the storms in life bowed my head and took me to the ground.

If you look at me, you may see that I am tired.

But if you look deeper – if you look at my soul – you’re going to see life there. You’ll see energy emanating from every recess, eternal strength to withstand the onslaught of any tempest, a light that cannot be snuffed out by the shadows, and a spark that carries me forward always in gratitude, love, and hope.

You will see that no matter how worn out my physical vessel has become, my soul is intact and beautiful and strong.

If you look deeper.