Reflection on 27

Twenty-seven arrived like a storm at sea,

Winds of heartbreak, waves crashing over me.

I learned that love and loss intertwine,

Each teaching truths I can now call mine.

I let go of hands I’d once held tight,

People whose paths veered out of sight.

It hurt to release, but I’ve come to see,

Not all who begin the journey stay with me.

The bottle whispered, "Forget for a while,"

But its promises faded after the smile.

Numbness dissolved, and what it revealed,

Were wounds that only honesty could heal.

Their opinions once tethered me to the ground,

But I’ve broken free from the weight of that sound.

What they see, what they think, is not who I am—

I define my worth; I hold my plan.

I’ve discovered my strength, my boundless skill,

In places where doubt once dampened my will.

And when my confidence wavers, I gently remind:

Growth isn’t linear; be patient, be kind.

Love came and went, a spark that burned brief,

Yet from its fading, I found relief.

For starting again is a triumph in stride,

Proof of a heart that’s open, not tied.

Even my friends, flawed as they may be,

Taught me that hurt is part of intimacy.

Disappointment may sting, but I choose to mend,

For love’s truest form lies in making amends.

Year 27, you broke and rebuilt,

Challenged my foundation, tested my guilt.

Yet through it all, I stand renewed,

A stronger version, more wholly true.

~RMC