POEM

“I owe myself an apology

For all of the times

I tore myself apart

When I neglected my own needs

Lowered my standards

Berated myself

And put myself down.

For the self-sabotage

I continually inflicted upon myself

And the times when I apologised

For being who I was

And expressing myself authentically.

And I owe myself

The permission to start anew.

To forgive myself

For the battles I fought

That weren’t mine to fight

For all of the love

That I failed to give myself

And for the times when I failed to realise

That rather than being broken

I was worthy of value, respect

And beautiful, brilliant things in life

And that how I treated myself

Dictated how others would view me

And in turn, behave towards me

So by showering myself

With love, kindness, forgiveness and respect

In turn, I could pave the way

For others to do the same.”

— Tahlia Hunter

[ Art • “Alchemy of Soul” by Patricia Ariel ]