The door slams
A familiar thud
I walk away to clear my head
Flee from wounding words,
Pursuing solitude

Existence measured by foot falls and heart beats
“Remember to breathe,” I tell myself
In, out, in again.
Rhythm, to blot out pain
Long strides, to cleanse life’s abrasions.

A mile. Sometimes more
My body begins to sync with earth’s pulse
Connecting to a universal energy I cannot name
“Be calm,” It whispers.
As light slowly filters through my soul.

I feel the shift.
Rediscovering my center
Who and what I am
Acknowledging the inventory of broken promises and expectations,
Theirs and mine

With each step my heart softens.
I balance life’s checkbook.
Weighing the price of love, and the price of darkness
But the wind has already shifted. Spun me around.
Pressing at my back as I turn and walk toward home.