Why you might wish to carry a paint brush around
The last line of this poem made my eyes well up, and I had to share it with you all.
This poem really moved me, and I wanted to share it with you all. To me, it's about deep transformative healing and the last line made my eyes well up.
How I read it, is that this poem describes the priceless gift of true friendship. One in which we feel safe. Truly safe. To be ourselves, fully and completely. To yield, surrender and trust. To know they’ll catch you when you fall. When we dare to let go like that, we will never be the same person ever again.
I know that a talented coach, counsellor or psychotherapist can do this for their clients. And I wish you all to experience this feeling in your life, of dropping the masks and defences and being utterly real. I don’t mean that it has to be with a professional. May it be a friend, a partner, a spiritual teacher, anyone really.
I do not mind where or how or when or with whom, but I wish for you that you get to experience the safe love this poet writes about, and the incredible expansion of your confidence and self-worth.
Paint Brush
I keep my paint brush with me
Wherever I may go,
In case I need to cover up
So the real me doesn't show.
I'm so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of what you'll do - that
You might laugh or say mean things.
I'm afraid I might lose you.
I'd like to remove all my paint coats
To show you the real, true me,
But I want you to try and understand,
I need you to accept what you see.
So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
Please understand how much it hurts
To let the real me show.
Now my coats are all stripped off.
I feel naked, bare and cold,
And if you still love me with all that you see,
You are my friend, pure as gold.
I need to save my paint brush, though,
And hold it in my hand,
I want to keep it handy
In case someone doesn't understand.
So please protect me, my dear friend
And thanks for loving me true,
But please let me keep my paint brush with me
Until I love me, too.
- By Bettie B. Youngs -