to lose Yourself

Kayli Berk


to lose Yourself
is to not be true to Yourself,
to give up who You truly are
at the core,
in the process of being
something You are not.

at what expense?
to feel like You belong?
to feel whole?
to try to find Yourself?

but were You ever lost at all?
or were You just hidden from the light?
or were You a flame extinguished
by those around You,
placed out of sight?
perhaps neither,
or both?

to lose Yourself
is to be shaken off balance
and to be thrown off the path.

to lose Yourself
is to not care
about Your own future
or Your own wellbeing.
it is not seeing the
worth and value
of Your own being
 

it is not seeing
the power
of Your story,
(whether beautiful or without glory),
which by action reveals
more than can be said.

To lose Yourself
is to lose
the You, who You are,
and to lose
the You who You could be.

To lose yourself
means You don't see what I see -
You don't see the You in front of me:
the You who feels so much
and the You who really does care.
The You who matters
and is powerful,
intelligent,
beautiful.

You have been here all along.
so if You lose Yourself,
put up that poster or ransom
for Your return
because I'll be the first
to remind You who You are—
You have been here all along . . .
. . . and we all get lost sometimes

Photograph by Ashley Davis

 

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