Open Palms

For the longest time, I tried to protect and preserve

The life that I had, I wanted to conserve

Every bit of happiness that came my way

To act as a buffer for difficult days

My hands balled into fists I kept

Fearful that if I opened them, nothing would be left

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I acted from a place of deep-seated fear

Afraid that good things in life would disappear

Anxiously clinging to my imagined safe place

Petrified of the possibility of loss I could face

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The lessons you need to learn, life ultimately teaches you

In my case this definitely turned out to be true

Life happened, and I realized that keeping my fists balled

Did not protect me from incurring losses at all

I opened my palms, and realized there was space

For love and happiness to enter and take the place

Of loss and despair, I had to let go of my fear

And give life a chance for good things to appear