I look into the mirror, that image full of imperfections, graying hair that I continue to color to retain a somewhat warped youthful appearance. Fine lines that gradually are transitioning into deeper creases.
Eyes that look at my image in amusement, with a clear understanding of the person who inhabits this aging body.
Living day in and day out, every moment with the person who resides within my mortal shell, I have come to love that person. To know the goodness that inhabits the portal of my soul. She is a person who has endured the hardships and frustrations of life, sometimes tossing, and turning amidst the waves of life, like a ship lost at sea unsure whether it will ever glimpse ground again. Taking on water, as a tidal wave engulfs me, and I begin to sink, thinking drowning is imminent…
And yet I…live, now afloat in a calm sea as I drift, reaching land, my feet planting in the sand my resilience wins the battle and I walk on…
Hanging onto that thread of life prompted the reels of a lifetime to spin in the playground of my mind. Reflecting on the good, the bad, and the consequences resulting, it soon created a whirlwind of possible regrets. Looking, once again upon my reflection in the mirror, I then come to the realization that the culmination of it all has made me who I am, that flawed and imperfect person standing before me…and yet I…love her even more!
©Annette (Wengert) Tarpley
3/13/2024
Bio:
Annette Tarpley (USA) is a world-renowned poet, writer, and author. She has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the literary world and is the founder of the Facebook group "The Passion of Poetry," with close to 120k members. She has authored two poetry books, “Poetry Potpourri,” “Two Heart,” and “The Bird and the Dragonfly,” a children’s book. She is currently working on publishing her 2nd solo book, “Poetry Menageries” slated to be published in 2024. Annette works full-time as a nurse practitioner, and received her Master of Science in Nursing, from Radford University. She resides in Roanoke, Virginia.