A Prayer for the Recently Uncontrolled

Don’t let these shackles hold you down. 

You already broke them. 

Hold on to that, if you need to hold on to anything. 

But I’m here to tell you, to remind you,

that you don’t. 

This is freedom, kid, this is how we get away.

Plan if you need to, and keep that in your mind, 

but don’t ask how high when the plan says jump. 

It was your plan in the first place. 

No one said you ever had to belong to it.

Remember, 

know, 

that you’re good enough as you are. 

You always have been. 

So don’t let that fear ruin what you’re doing,

who you are, 

who you want to be, 

where you want to be. 

You can stand on your own. 

You can. 

You’re prepared. 

If you have to, 

if you need to, 

if you can’t strut (because there are days when we can’t), 

you can lean back, let it happen around you while you tie your own hands,

so that you remember, you can remind yourself

that the world turns without you, my friend. 

And that’s the best thing. 

It’s not your necessity or your preparation that gives you value. 

You had that already. 

Had it all along.