salt sand sea me

for me . reminders . how I breathe

A REMINDER: by continuing to read, listen, visit this post and anything associated with this substack account, you are agreeing to not share, screenshot, plagiarize, record, and/or use any of its content. - Melissa Adylia Calasanz

September 01.2024

repetition . repetition . repetition

for me . to see . me . for me : to remember : who I am who I've been how I see me as I am as I was where I move my body to slow my mind so I can see how far I've come . body . mind . spirit .

this is not vanity . this is appreciation .

for age

I want to remember me

each line each wrinkle each crease each spot each mark each blemish each darkened patch any portion of relaxed skin : a testament of my life . this life . well worn . a life [well] lived

I have earned the word OLD

I will never feel shame for AGED

do not call me [ years ] young [ unless comparing me to a sentinel tree ]

.

on this day

.

I stood . on my two feet . while the sun found my face . I feared it's rays for 8 years - since my DNA caused my cells to attack parts of me - that chapter closed once that anomaly was excised from me . always knowing [ it's not if ] it [ is when it ] will return . no longer fearing the inevitable . sometimes wishing for its speedy arrival