And so

I gathered up

all that had once

held me back,

all those

in-your-face

old triggers

that once caused

deep pain.

I gathered up all

the memories

of all the times

and all the present

stories and thoughts

of people

and situations

that were

dishonoring.

And with a prayer,

I flung it all

as far as I could —

to be recycled —

to be free.

In place of

the disconnect

and old dialogues

that used to happen,

all that was

in support of

the deepest kind

of healing

began to rise up.

Old wounds were

honored,

not acted out —

not sifted through.

There was a

new network

of support —

firmly held in place

from a little deeper

down.