With Each Small Surrender

For a while,

I followed the endless

promises of another 

way out

of pain and longings —

only to be caught

in cycles

of up and down

and forward

and back.

And so I began

to follow the pieces

of me

that could lead

in a different way —

calming and evolving

with each small surrender

and bit of courage

to keep showing up

as healer

of my own heart.