Daniela Lanning ’21

You feel yourself spinning in the absence of gravity.

The tumultuous waves beat harder against the ocean floor. 

The emotions once bottled up in a dainty glass

Have exploded in violent protest against silence.

You knew it would happen, the dam would break loose

For sadness and joy, sorrow and bliss, are not meant to be suppressed with

A bottle cap. 

Oh, how the voices told you to hide them and shun them, forget they existed,

But your mind was not meant to fight your feelings.

Your heart was not meant to suppress its beating.

So the ocean has taken control of what was inevitable, 

And teaching you the importance of breathing before you have to.

For light must be shined among the heavy things,

For the weight to disperse into peace.

A lantern is now illuminating the space,

Where joy is left sitting in a corner alone.

And this light, while uncomfortable,

Exposing the untidy spaces of your mind––

Is the first step to understanding,

To accepting,

To growing.

Maybe now, you will embrace a new river 

That constantly flows in a manageable manner.

And you can float down the current,

Understanding yourself

And those feelings that were not meant to be fought by your mind.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Written by

Daniela Lanning

Daniela Lanning, junior, loves both writing and reading because she feels that words allow people to express emotions and ideas freely with the rest of the world. In her free time, Daniela loves to sing, play the guitar and ukulele, go to the beach, listen to music, and spend time with all her favorite people in life! She is passionate about reaching out to others and learning more about how to understand those around her. Her favorite author is Robin Jones Gunn.