Heather Pound

we hunger

not only for bread,

but for the things

that truly fill the soul

 

distraction and pleasure are

a quick fix that disappear

like candy floss in rain

and are about as substantial

as this, too

 

desperately searching in the desert

for sustenance, we realize that the

place of deprivation has dissolved

superfluous things that we don’t

really need for the journey

 

unwholesome baggage that just takes

up space like self-criticism, insecurity

and fears. and as they shift and melt

away, they leave us space for more

 

for those hearty, healthful things

that stick to our ribs, bring a glow

to our cheeks and give us strength

for the journey ahead

 

—however uncomfortable, there is often purpose in those desert seasons.

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Katerina Kerdi via Unsplash

i hope that

you consider

that on this road

that makes up

life, that you

just might

find hope,

and inspiration

and purpose

and that you

might even

experience

fulfilment

in the end.

 

these things

are possible

and everything

like this that

you have ever

longed for

can exist.

 

and today may

be thick with

darkness

but that

does not

negate the

reality

that there

is light.

 

–there is always, always hope.

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Alex Padurariu via Unsplash

self-care does not 
merely mean 
time out with friends 
or bubble baths. 
yes, these things 
are lovely, but 
self-care honours 
habits more 
significant 
than these.

it might be 
showing yourself 
the compassion that 
you might routinely 
offer others and 
then presenting 
yourself a pass
to imperfection
as well.

it may be living by the 
values you hold dear
because they form 
who you are and
you will not thrive 
if you are not true 
to these. 

things like integrity, 
standing up for 
fairness, humility, 
loyalty and respect. 
whatever is the 
bedrock of your soul, 
and what makes 
your particular 
personality tick. 

then there is lifting up 
your very own voice 
in situations that matter,
embracing and 
expressing the 
power that you wield 
as valuable human. 

and last, but most 
definitely not least,
keeping boundaries
that protect and 
serve and allow 
you to respect
yourself 
and others. 

these are all 
significant parts
of caring for you. 
these assist you 
to recharge
and flourish, 
to grow and 
to be healthy
for yourself
and others
long-term. 

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Giulia Bertelli via Unsplash

come to the place that is rest

softly. you do not need to

shout it loud. it is fine if

you can only stumble

through the door, but

just make sure you

come.

 

and as you take off your

shoes to lay by streams

of peaceful waters, you

will find that all of the

striving has made you

weary, more than you

realized, and that quiet

is productive, too.

 

and that it is good to linger

in this space where you

can let those burdens go,

where you can evaluate

what is yours to bear

–or not

 

what flowers you want to

gather, what memories

you wish to make, what

are the priorities that you

will intentionally choose

once you arise.

 

and as your mind calms

to the peaceful rhythm of

the brook, you simply let

thoughts go. And you will

find rest for your soul

 

and just be.

 

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Oleksandra Bardash/Unsplash

when you put a seed

down into soil deep,

you must wait—-

because that seed will

never germinate, grow

if you keep digging it

up to check on its

progress

 

i know this is hard,

but it’s just the way

that it is with all

things plant, and

most everyone’s

heart.

 

you must simply

gently water,

make sure

there is light

–and wait.

 

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Syed F Hashemi/Unsplash

beginning—

a powerful

hopeful,

miraculous

word.

it thrills the

soul and steals

breath away.

 

a moment of

brevity, yet

infinite

possibilities

in execution.

 

it starts with

a breath and

leads to an

entire world

of tender

prospects.

 

a fresh start,

a second

chance.

 

and the morning

dawns, and the

magpie sings,

and all creation

begins again.

 

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Aaron Burden/Unsplash

i want to make something clear

as gently but as clearly as

i possibly can, because i keep

hearing messages of other than.

 

of people who have struggled

long because of things they have

heard and absorbed. thoughts

that rubbish the entirety of

who and what they are.

 

and even heard this in places

that are meant to be holy.

 

when you were formed out of

dust, within your mother’s

womb, God looked upon you

with profound love and declared,

‘what i have made, it is good.’

 

and while in this world there

are things fallen, horrible,

unspeakable things and there

resides within each of our

hearts the potential to foster

either incredible good or ill

 

but know this, God sees you

as entirely lovable, worthwhile,

worth cherishing. so much

so that he would move heavens

and earth for you—and this

he did.

 

you are full of traits, features,

personality, talents, gifts

and abilities that make you

unique. that make you–you.

 

and each of these was carefully

crafted with love by the one

who spun your life into motion

before your very first breath.

 

and he does not make rubbish.

 

and you are something

exquisitely spectacular

indeed.

 

and the voice that says

otherwise in your head

is not the one who

carefully, lovingly

and intentionally

planned–you.

 

so, shake off that dust that

clouds your vision, open

the window to your soul

that has been stuck tight

–and shine.

 

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Maria Teneva/Unsplash

©Heather Pound 2023

i hope that when you

follow a map that takes

you down the road to

regret that you

remember the way

back well.

 

drop some breadcrumbs,

mark those trees, for

this path is one that

will chill your bones

and mar your flesh.

 

it will steal your hope

more boldly than

an ant at a picnic.

it will dim the light of

your heart as you

punish yourself unkind.

 

the reflective road of

hindsight, however,

allows you to see with

perspective gained.

 

it remembers that you

can now use tools and

information that you

had no access to

before.

 

challenge it may still,

but it’s message is

infused with kindness,

lessons being learned,

 

and it’s road is paved

by wisdom and healing

and covered with a robe

of grace.

 

—-look back with hindsight rather than regret

©Heather Pound 2023

image: pawel szvmanski/Unsplash

the people of the land

in the place where i

reside have a stunning

way of introduction.

 

they do not start with

the telling of their name

given to them at birth,

instead they speak first

of their mountain.

 

that piece of earth, the

landmark, the bedrock

of their background,

tall and fast and of

ages long past.

 

they are saying, this

is where i come from

and through this you can

understand a little of me.

 

let’s consider our wider

connections, and

remember that we

are always part of

community.

 

that even as we meet

for the very first time

that we may somehow

be connected, and that

we do not ever really

make our way alone.

 

©Heather Pound 2023

image:Olena Sergienko/Unsplash