Defying synicism

I guess it's that time in life - when everyone seems to be getting married and/or having babies: the mid-20's/early 30's. It's hard to think I was already one of "them." But I'm trying my best not to be synical - hoping and wishing that all of my friends that are getting married or just recently got married, will hold true to their vows: "to love and to cherish, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, til death do us part." But unfortunately, I know for a fact not everyone makes it. And what I want people to know is: it's okay. Life, if anything, goes on.

I meant them when I said them - those vows. I don't think anyone that gets married ever thinks it won't work in the end. But that's life. Sometimes you just grow apart, and find that there are more differences between you than can be reconciled. People change and evolve every single day. I guess what's important is to make sure you're always on the same page, and that you're growing together in the same direction. Communication (open and often) and trust are probably what I consider to be the two most important facets of a successful relationship. But you also have to have something solid to build upon, like a strong foundation of friendship. You have to let eachother be their own person, but also recognize that the individual parts make up the whole. Having the ability to compromise is important. And by compromise, I don't mean compromising the core beliefs and values that ultimately direct your moral compass; but, knowing and completely accepting the fact that allowing the other person into your life, completely, will inevitably change some things.

I strongly believe that people need to be on similar levels: emotionally, physically, intellectually, spiritually, mentally... if you're not a match on most of those things - well, time will certainly unveil reality. You should not be blinded by lust, physical attraction, infatuation, etc... there HAS to be something more, something deeper, to fall back on. If not, that type of "love" is just not sustainable in the long-term. And if you don't have ALL of that stuff figured out before you take the plunge... well, I hate to be the one to break it to you... but it probably won't work.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that when I think of a life-long love, one worthy of the institution of marriage, I guess I agree with the following quote:

"True love is the soul's recognition of its counterpoint in another."

And I still believe in it... completely.

But hey... what does anyone really know about love? It's got to be one of the most ridiculous, crazy, beautiful, maddening, life-altering, indefinable emotions I've ever come across. ;-)

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Sleep and dream

Sinking in the silent slumber of darkness
I succumb to the gravity of night
Starry skies and shadows whisper to me:
Shh... be still - sleep and dream.

But life settles on my silhouette
A sheath of thick blankets and sheets suffocating-
Swiftly sucking the breath from my lungs
And swallows me whole. Shh.

Shh. Speak not a word, tired soul
Slowly descend into your dreamland
Shut your eyes, seal your lips, breathe
Savor your sleep, and sweet dreams.

Shh. Surrender your eyes and mind, for
these dreams seep surreptitiously -
Envelop your slumbering soul, only
Releasing you by the light of sunrise.

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Haven't met him...yet.

For anyone who knows their worth, and is still looking for that "one" to know it too. :)

He likes me, really likes me
My eyes, smile, laugh, lips
My curves, skin, hands, hips
He sees me, really sees me
Everything I am, everything I want to be
Everything I was, everything I will be
He knows me, really knows me
The dark, the light, the surface, the deep
And walks right through the walls I keep
He wants me, really wants me
Body and mind, heart and soul
Whether I'm broken or entirely whole
He needs me, really needs me
To make him smile, calm his fears
In his heart, I'm always near
He loves me, really loves me
And I'd give myself without regret
Because he likes me, sees me,
knows me, wants me, needs me,
and loves me...
I just haven't met him yet.

*NOTE* For those few who have expressed concern (and for those of you who haven't but wonder to yourself if I'm "OK") just for the record, not everything I write is from MY point of view. I like to take on different personas in my poetry/writings, so please don't take everything I write so literally. No, I'm not depressed, I'm not sad, I'm not even down! In fact, I'm actually happier than a pig n' shit! ;-) Thanks for reading!

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Thankful

It's Thanksgiving tomorrow. We all know what that means. We all look forward to stuffing our faces full to capacity with a feast that most people in this world dream about, then roll our gluttonous, over-stuffed bodies over to the couch, and blame the tryptophan (not the fact that we just ate about 2,000 calories of fatty, carby, sugary goodness in one sitting) for dozing in and out of consciousness while football plays on the TV in the background. Turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, potatos, yams, casseroles, pies, biscuits... are we not lucky? Should we not stop to breathe in deep the sweet and savory aromas of a Thanksgiving meal, and be grateful?

Gratitude is an amazing thing. It keeps you grounded. It keeps you humble. It keeps you satisfied - and while you may want more from life, gratitude helps you accept the fact that sometimes you can't always have what you want the exact moment that you want it... because it helps to reduce that disappointment you feel when things don't go exactly the way you want it to. Stay grateful. Things can always be much worse. Stop and take a look around - do you really, and truthfully, honestly have it that bad? Probably not...

So what am I thankful for this year? Well I'm thankful I'm alive for starters. I'm healthy, I'm in relatively good shape, I'm not ill, I have no ailments, I've got all my limbs, my lungs are breathing and my heart is beating. Awesome! Aside from the obvious, I'm thankful for my friends and family. Love is by far one of the most important things in life to be grateful for. If you can love someone, and be loved in return, then you can be grateful you've had the opportunity to feel that. I have some of the best friends in the world - and they are scattered all over the world too! St. Kitts, Canada, Australia, Florida, Virginia... but it doesn't matter - no matter how far away they are, no matter the time difference, they are always there for me, without fail. To have friends like that, I consider myself extremely lucky. And I'm grateful for each and every one of them. One person in particular (and you know who you are) I'm not sure where I'd be right now if it weren't for you. Thank you for being you, and thank you for being in my life. I'm grateful for knowing you.

And of course I'm thankful I have a job in something I actually studied for, and on top of that, I get to live in a beautiful paradise every single day. Sure, things haven't always gone as planned for me. Sure, I didn't expect to be in the position I'm in at this point in my life. But I'm not going to be down. I'm not going to drag myself through the ditches and beat myself up for mistakes I've made, and failures I've experienced. All of those things make me who I am. All of those dark moments have molded me into a stronger, more confident woman. And the best part is - there's a light at the end of this tunnel. A bright light. And I can see it, I can feel it... the light is mine, because I choose it. I'm thankful that the lightbulb finally went off for me. Because now, more than ever in my life, I know exactly what I want and what I need to be happy. And I will never settle for anything less.

Gratitude. Find it. And hold onto it tightly. It can save you.

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Dear Brain

Dear Brain,

Could you please just quiet down for a minute? You're too loud these days. I can't concentrate on the life in front of me because you keep distracting me away from it. I'd love to sit and chit-chat with you all day, but then I realize the day is gone - and I haven't accomplished a damn thing. It's very easy to sit in my head with you, but it's just counter-productive. I rarely gain anything positive from our conversations; in fact, most of the time all I get from you is more anxiety and confusion about things. Just slow down for a minute, okay? Please? That would be great. It's difficult to stop and smell the roses, or really feel a cool breeze on my skin, or really take notice of a beautiful day when you're yammering at me all the time! Brain, don't take this the wrong way - I love you and everything, and I certainly couldn't live without you... but.... could you please do me a favor and just shut the f*ck up?!

Love,
Chelsey

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Thank you

A tribute to my nearest and dearest friends:

For keeping my tears from falling
For simply holding my hand
For keeping the darkness from calling
For helping me up to stand
Thank you.

For being a shoulder and an ear
For helping me breathe instead of drown
For settling my anxious fears
For keeping my feet on solid ground
Thank you.

For always being exactly what I need
For simply being here at all
For letting my emotions bleed
For answering every call
Thank you.

For making me laugh until I cry
For just letting me simply be
For never trying to pry
For being the friend I needed you to be
Thank you.

You know who you are. Thank you.

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Closing a chapter...

I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to do this. And this seemed to be the only logical option. So, since I pretty much use this space to spill my thoughts and feelings, here we go.

This may come as a shock to some - but if you've paid close attention at all in the last few months, it shouldn't be a big surprise. I don't like keeping big secrets to myself, and I've tried to allude to it for a while now. And while I don't think I can just come right out and say it in such black and white terms, it turns out the big fairytale of my life doesn't have a happy ending. It's a sad fact, but it's the truth. And while there is nothing but love and respect between us, and we are still (and plan to remain) friends, we've just realized that it just wasn't meant to be, unfortunately. So the next couple of months will be a difficult adjustment - but we both completely agree it's for the best.

And we both want to sincerely thank all of our family and friends for the unconditional support you've given us through all these years. We love you all.

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