I stand by you. You can let go.

This poem/prose was inspired by a friend's story about how her director, an African American woman, sent an email to all her team members saying, "No matter where you stand, I stand by you."

No matter where you stand, I stand by you

No one is my enemy. The only enemy is myself.

I see that you are hurting.

I would rather hurt myself than do any more harm.

I am willing to sacrifice myself to help you see how much you are loved.

Humanity will not be lifted up by more hatred, more divisions

The path toward unity is through love

The kind of love where people willingly sacrifice themselves, their ego, their voice,

So other people feel heard and loved

It doesn't matter if you are black white or purple, he she or they

What matters is the consciousness of your heart

How deep is the ocean of your love

So no matter how strong the storm is

You respond from a place of peace

In the depths of your love

The size of your love

The openness of your heart

The commitment towards non violence

No matter how far you go to express your anger, your pain, your fear

I choose to stand by you

To never condemn, label, reply in hate

You are not "Other"

You are part of me

I will love you unconditionally

Let's not focus on who did what

Give hugs to the bully and the bullied

Let the conversation be about the collective pain felt by all sides

The wounds we carry inside

How we can grief, let go, forgive

Heal and rejoice in restoring our hearts

To come into conversation once again

From a place of peace and wholeness

Not looking to other to fix our internal brokenness

Let go of the need for melodrama of your life

The addiction to news cycle

Arousing us vs. them emotions

Life doesn't have to be a game of attracting eyeballs

Stop using people as pawns to boost your own ego

Instead, give yourself kind attention, love, and self care

Let go of the pleasure of emotional swings

The highs and lows that make you feel more alive

You are already alive and whole

You don't need to roll yourself in the temptress of drama

For flavors of the temptress are paid with never ending cravings

The path laid with addictions and misery

Let down your armor and protective gear

Let me see you clearly so I can show you your light

When you see the beauty in you

All will be forgiven

All will be loved

Peace can arrive easily like a gust of wind

Clearing out all the debris from past stories

Restoring balance of mind and spirit

If you just allow your heart the space to settle

Stop comparing who is better, more righteous, more just

Let your heart restore its natural default setting

Which remembers that we are one

We all belong to one, and one another