Sunburn

We burned brighter than the sun until the day you left—left me here with nothing but the memory of you, stinging like a sunburn. 
You were untouchable; the person I once was had so much to learn.

I craved your affection like my body craves the warmth of the sun,
so why did you have to run? 

I’ve tried to peel your ghost from my scorched skin but you were determined to leave your mark. 
You set me on fire, then left me here to burn in the dark.

So, like an insatiable itch that won’t go away, 
you haven’t left my mind to this day. 

I often ponder about what we could’ve had, 
If only I knew then, it would hurt this bad.

I shouldn’t have ignored all the warning signs, but I did. 
Can you blame me? I was only just a kid.

It took some time, but what I know now, 
is that I’ll never let another break me down.

Now here I am, a freckle-faced girl with a brand new glow,
someone I could’ve never been without the tear stains written in your name on my pillow. 

I used to see the golden sun in your eyes,
but somewhere in between tender tan lines and little white lies,

I’ve forgotten your name. 
You’re fading now, so there’s not much more to say. 

I once thought I was at the point of no return, 
thankfully the pain you caused was only temporary, much like a sunburn. 
~~~
When you’ve never experienced romance nor the heartbreak that can stem from it (thankfully!), as a writer, sometimes you have to rely on other familiar experiences, pure imagination, and some dramatics to create stories. As is the case with this poem, the idea of which was inspired entirely by an actual sunburn I obtained this summer (that I still have tan lines from). Pretty neat, right?

Eternally Thankful

While turkey might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Thanksgiving holiday, there is much more to it than just a great feast. Every year for Thanksgiving, it’s tradition to take note of all that you are thankful for. I have never truly thought too deeply into this question until now. So, this year, what am I thankful for?

I will start off with the cliché statement in saying, I am thankful for my family. I am blessed with the most amazing family members that wholeheartedly believe in me, support my passions, and continuously surround me with love.

I am thankful for my friends. They are the ones who are always there for me, even when we’re apart. Each of them has the ability to instantly lift my spirits. When I’m with them, I am genuinely my happiest self. I haven’t a clue what I’d do without these incredible people.

I am even thankful for this year and our days spent in quarantine. Such time in isolation has allowed me an abundance of time for self-reflection and mental healing.

I am thankful for life. I give thanks to every hurdle I’ve had to pass through to get to where I am today, and I am optimistic for the opportunities that lie ahead of me in the future. This year has taught me to appreciate and be grateful for all that I have. In the midst of such fearful times, we must take a second to be thankful that we are still here on Earth living and breathing. I have learned to waste no time in going after what it is that we want and to have more faith in myself. I shall challenge myself in asking “why not?” when faced with a new goal, and achieve each of them by telling myself “I can”. We must live our lives to the fullest and live out our biggest dreams, now rather than later, with what time we are granted.

For many families, Thanksgiving might look a little different this year. However you may choose to celebrate, it’s never a bad time to spend a day celebrating gratitude. I refuse to dwell on the negatives life may at times spring upon us, therefore I am eternally thankful.

~~~

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving tomorrow!