DON'T TURN BACK by Maureen Kwiat Meshenberg

There are times when I am pulled back into time, feeling regret and shame...

This poem came to me as I decided to recite a mantra every morning in my meditative sacred space: “I am who I am ready to become who I am on the inside.” We are all human with the spirit within us striving and thriving. When others or ourselves fill us with doubt and draw us back into the past, we may realize that that place does not exist anymore.

There is no sense in regressing and bringing ourselves to fear and blame. Call in grace and compassion towards ourselves, but I believe we need to find our new steps guiding us to who we truly are on the inside. “Don’t turn back, don’t go that way anymore.” The time to live is now!

Don't Turn Back

by Maureen Kwiat Meshenberg

don’t turn back,

don’t go that way anymore-

it’s not a path,

that can be re-done,

even if others protest-

and want you to regress-

it is but a place in time,

no longer full of living-

or life.

don’t look back,

don’t let thoughts-

hold you in a cage-

of regrets anymore,

what’s the use of reviving-

what no longer brings you

to your present beginnings,

the journey you possess right now-

is yours for the taking.

don’t glance back,

and cry so much for it anymore-

take it and create a,

healing place for it-

let it evaporate,

into the breath of your redeeming-

cant go back now,

bring expectations to what was-

all that is done,

can not be undone.

don’t try to bring it back,

it does not belong to you anymore-

it is but a memory,

to take pieces of it-

and hold it to grace,

see the opening in front of you-

the presence that holds,

you steady-

let it fall and break,

behind you-

only light gleaming,

on your new path before you-

love holding your journey,

close to your heart.

Photography by Elenora Di Primo

Maureen Kwiat Meshenberg is an author and a prolific poetess. She is guided by her inner soul’s journey and her empathic musings about life. Maureen’s draws from her human experiences, bringing reflective, soulful thoughts of the heart and the shifts in life’s journey to her poetry. Her most recent work includes her own Facebook page called Heart’s Calling where she currently reaches almost 3,000 regular readers. She also has her own website here. She currently hosts a monthly sacred creative writing circle for women using writing prompts as a means of inner releasing. Maureen has 3 adult children and currently lives in Oak Park, Illinois. She has recently published her first debut poetry book called Seasons of the Soul: Transitions and Shifts of Life which can be purchased here.

~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~

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