One Step at a Time

She paced the entire coast,

counted each step from either side

until she found the center

“Nothing can go wrong from here.”

She waited for the surf to tickle her toes,

gauged where she could safely stand

next, fought the urge to run

“One step at a time.”

How can you complain when you

know what you’re walking into?

There is a sweet spot

just above the knees

well below the waist

“Not much can go wrong from here.”

One misstep, one overwhelming wave

of emotion—she catches

gulp after gulp. Panics

“I’ve gone too far.”

She steps back, looks around,

waits for the sea to calm

No matter how far she goes

or comes,  it takes more than longing

to keep the scales from tipping

“Whether things go wrong or right . . .”

She doesn’t bother to wipe the wet sand

away, she has found acceptance

in discomfort

“. . . I can only take one step at a time.”

IG: @daydreamifications

4/28/14