Me.

Well lets just begin by telling you that I have learned something about myself this past few weeks... I am guarded.

Now guarded is an interesting word....guarded from what you may ask?

I believe I am protecting my heart and soul with a brick wall and barbed wire fence...there may even be a machine gun and a few other security measures as well. This heart is afraid to let in anything that might hurt all that is precious and dear to it.

It's interesting how life takes down certain roads, roads we don't like or didn't expect, roads that are hard, roads that lead us to a choice.... will I grow? or will I shrivel and retreat?

I am happy to acknowledge that on many of these roads I have made the choice to grow. Now not always did I make this choice, sometimes I remained stagnant not choosing anything because both choices were difficult. Sometimes I was forced to make choices I didn't want nor like because of the choices of others...but all in all I feel I have done pretty well.

I did make it out alive and fairly unscathed, with maybe a only few battle scars...

But these are some of the things that make me who I am. These difficult things have stretched, shaped and molded me into who I am today.

Am I perfect? .....heck no!

Do I have scars? .....absolutely!

Do I know myself better than ever?.....for sure!

Will I always strive to do better?.....of course!

I am an imperfect being, but I believe I am perfectly me, striving to do the best I can with what has been given to me.

I will fall, faulter, and make mistakes....but I will always get back up, try to do better, and correct my mistakes.

I am me.

A beautiful imperfect soul, striving towards a better me.

And I am grateful today for those who love me for me, those who are patient with my imperfections, and see the me who I want to become. Who encourage and believe in that person and all that she hopes and dreams of.

So thank-you for simply loving me.

This heart is healing, and I am grateful to those who have helped in that process....and hopefully in due time those walls will come crashing down and that heart that was once so guarded will be so full of love it will begin to burst!