You Do Not Have to Earn the Morning

The sun is just beginning to touch the glass, and for the first time, you see your own face staring back from the dark. You realize you have been holding your breath since before the night began, waiting for a danger that never arrived.

The air in the room is still, but your lungs are burning from the effort of staying safe. Let it go.

The light that is rising outside did not wait for you to be ready before it broke the horizon. It simply arrived, gentle and inevitable, filling the space whether you were breathing or not.

You do not have to earn this morning by exhaling perfectly. Just open your mouth and let the new day rush in to fill the hollow places.

The breath you need is already waiting on your lips.