Photo Credit: Jewel Gingerich

 

We live guarded lives.

 

I wonder what great misfortune, or ten thousand small ones, taught us to build high walls.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Was it that we felt overlooked too many times and stopped believing in our own quirky magic?

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Convinced we have nothing to offer, and if we did, it would be ridiculed anyway.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Afraid.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

But it is lonely here.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Superior.  We won’t speak our needs.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Safe and hollow.

 

We live guarded lives. 

 

Because it’s easier than being seen.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Prisons, our guarded lives.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

We hold our own keys.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Freedom - our own choice to make.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

High and mighty (and craving something close).

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Because we deem it safe.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

We weary quickly.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

So fear holds the pen in our stories.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Because someone hurt us once.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Angry.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Blaming.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

We are missing our very lives.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

When the truth is simple.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Try. Trust. Hope. Repeat.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Because we don’t believe the best about people.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

We let Shame’s lying tongue corner our blood-redeemed hearts.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Because we don’t know The Truth.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Cynicism strangling our hope.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

Waiting.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

We call ourselves independent.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

There is a time to appear from behind our carefully constructed facades.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

To avoid pain, when in fact, we are the wounded bleeding out.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

As though it will save us.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

When what we need most is to be undone.

 

We live guarded lives.

 

LOVE DOES NOT.

 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love trumps all.  It holds people close, opens arms wide, shares of itself freely and frequently.  Love is a constant stream, a wildly raging river of unguarded affection.  Love is the antidote to a guarded life.  Love received is love that can be poured out.  High walls may hide us from probing eyes and unkind judgments, but they also hide us from those who would love us well and unconditionally.  Out from behind the walls is the only way forward, the only way towards true saving.  See, death is this army marching for your fortress, and your walls won’t hold it out and your supplies won’t last the siege.  The only way to saving is to take courage and step forward and face the million reasons you wanted to hide.  The lies marching for you don’t stand a chance when held up to The Truth.  Out from behind your walls.  You are brighter and better than you ever dared hope.