Breathe

In... out... in... out.
A reflex. Refresh, relax.
Breathe in clean, cool air.
Breathe in calm. Breathe in light.
Still the crazy cacophony
Of chaotic, cascading thoughts.
From the lucid to the tangled,
Push them out and sit for now
While we reboot.
Make space to be. To rest. To breathe.

Back at the beginning,
I promised to protect you always;
To let nothing hurt you.
Naivety reigned.
How could I keep my word:
You and me against the world?
Your carry the best of us both
Yet I feel a daily ache
For what I have bequeathed.

The unknown can be daunting;
Forever is a long time,
But tomorrow is not guaranteed.
You are here right now;
Look how far we've come!
Today was once a distant unknown.
You've got this!
We'll take it
One infinitesimally small bit at a time.
Breathe in. Breathe out.