I am lost in the depths of my breath as I close my eyes and begin to feel a chilling presence.
Each breath, more relaxed than the last and I notice a familiar silhouette off in the distance. He appears to be lost, timid, and afraid as I can hear the sounds of his cries for help.
I take another deep breath, filling my lungs with courage and vulnerability. Unsure of what to do, I walk towards the little boy, put my hand on his shoulders and ask “ boy, why are you crying?”
He turns to me, and says “ no one has spoken to me in years, and I have been trapped behind shadows of the past, unable to set myself free”.
Realizing, the power at this moment, I take another deep breath to align parts of me that were once lost, neglected, and forgotten. I whisper to him “ Losing you many years ago left me searching for a void I could not find, and I have realized that much of my life has been empty because I have separated myself from you.”
I crouch down to meet him and give him a hug. With each breath, what once felt cold, now feels warm.
Emptiness turns to wholeness, as I stitch together the divide I have created and merge with myself once again. In this space, vulnerability breaks down barricades, and no story of pain can stand between us anymore.
I feel you slowly disappear and your presence will forever remind me that my greatest power lies within my ability to love all of who I am as a man.