Breathe In, Breathe Out

My heart beats rhythmically.

My hands rest delicately at my sides.

My feet are planted firmly on the ground.

Breathe in, breathe out.

The path under me is a beige concrete.

It extends infinitely in front of me.

Grass borders either side of it.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I place one foot in front of the other.

My legs lead me forward down my path, past neighbors’ houses.

I have no destination, only a desire for a journey.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I encounter very few people on my walk.

Most of the neighborhood is wisely under a semi-lock-down.

The people I do pass give me a wide berth, and I do the same to them.

Breathe in, breathe out.

The tulips and daffodils are about to bloom.

I can see their green tendrils poking through the dirt.

Spring will soon begin, but for now, I live in winter.

Breathe in, breathe out.

The rain from last night leaves puddles on the sidewalk.

I pay attention and make sure to step around them.

Those tulips and daffodils surely needed that rain.

Breathe in, breathe out.

My journey carries me home.

I am back at my warm apartment, on my comfortable couch.

The keys of my laptop click softly as I touch them.

Breathe in, breathe out.

The world is in chaos and I am too,

but I choose, in this moment,

to reflect on my path and to be at peace.

Breathe in, breathe out.

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