the whole world smiles with - me?

Crazy thick, strawberry blonde "locks",

nervously flipping them with an old book and cup of tea,

an unexpected special moment of a smile with a stranger

that I could offer, and for myself feel,

just for being me.

 

"Stay present", they say,

"Just be" - me?

I try to breathe through stress,

try to remember that I have what it takes to get past it

just because I'm me.

 

"Get rid of the 'shoulds' ", I tell myself -

who determined that those apply to me?

Whatever my truth is,

it's enough just how He made me.

 

A strange Italian/Irish mix,

thick and strawberry blonde hair but a Roman nose,

eyes smiling because they just met a stranger's -

and just for that moment, theirs smiled back at me,

just because I'm me.