just write: new year’s thoughts.

think of last year

of all it brought you. 

the people you didn’t know the year before

who you can’t survive without now. 

the nights you got to dance through &

the laughter you got to share &

the places you went &

the lips you kissed &

the hope you felt &

the things you saw 

all in the span of one year. 

it was hard, maybe

but it was good and full 

and it shaped you. 

remember that, when this year gets hard

(as it almost certainly will):

that while it may be hard

it is also full &

giving &

shaping. 

always shaping. 

it’s not too late to start over 

the second, the seventh, the twelfth of next month

all perfectly good days to start fresh. 

but please don’t feel like you have to. 

start over, that is. 

you are good, here, now.

just as you are. 

you don’t have to let go 

if you are not ready. 

a page turning, a clock ticking, a calendar flipping

none of it means you have to let go. 

it’s okay that you still need to work through that thing &

it’s okay that you can’t stop thinking about them & 

it’s okay that you’re not ready to say, “it’s okay” quite yet. 

all of these things are a part of you

of you, just as you are, right now.

& you don’t have to let go of any piece of yourself 

unless you are ready. 

it really is amazing, when you think about it. 

the fact that you woke up today. 

all of the things last year that could have killed you 

but didn’t 

all of the ways the world could have broken you 

but didn’t 

all of the times you could have given up 

but didn’t. 

it really is amazing 

so allow yourself to be amazed. 

you did it.