I woke with a feeling
Of loneliness

Desolate, yet still
Contained within

Appearances deceive
At times

From the outside, I'm fine
Shouldn't I be?

No fighting the presence
It belongs too

Relax into it
Breathing space and grace

Mirrors tell a story
What do we believe?

Solitude doesn't lie
When we make room

For expansive moments
To extend beyond

Yesterday's promises
Obligations

Or opportunities?
Further I seek

She appears among them
The challenges

Become gifts presented
Wrapped in stillness

It dissipates again
Seen, heard, understood

Acceptance moves mountains

Original poetry and photography by Susan LePlae Miller
Written on an Autumn morning: October 17, 2024
Photographed in the Highlands of Scotland: March 24, 2024