What I
want is to open
up. I want to know what's inside me. I want
everybody to open
up. I'm like an imbecile with a can opener in his hand,
wondering where to begin– to open up the earth. I know that
underneath the mess everything is marvelous.
I'm sure of it.
Remember: if you don't open, you never have to refrigerate.
An anthem for all the messy lovers,
for all the bleeding hopefuls
who somehow spin silk from the torn bits left behind,
can find beauty in the dirty parts, like scars and bruises.
Those strangers don’t understand how you do it,
you walk into the river and wash your hands of the
disappointment,
the prior hurt,
you cleanse yourself and make room to do it
all over again,
if you must,
if that’s how it will go.
Those strangers don’t understand how you do it,
so they’ll snicker and judge.
They’ll call you the fool for loving twice,
or three times,
four.
They’ll call your tenderness something else,
won’t see how luminescent it is.
I am sorry they mistook your kindness
for weakness,
Don’t they know?
It takes a strong heart to pump
all this blood,
all this trying,
all this willingness
to be open
when everyone around
is trying to force you closed.
You warrior with a purple heart.
You lover with a Grand Canyon of possibility.
There is so much space in you.
That’s a good thing.
That’s beautiful.
—Ari Eastman, An Anthem for Everyone Who Keeps Loving and Trusting No Matter What
People so often confuse vulnerability with weakness. They
believe that being vulnerable is being naïve, is standing
on a ledge, closing your eyes, and falling, blindly into people
and relationships.
But what they don’t understand, is that being vulnerable is the strongest thing you can be.
Vulnerability is opening your eyes and being honest with yourself. It is seeing the weakest, most fragile parts of yourself and acknowledging them, owning them. It is realizing your imperfections, your fears, and your desires. It is staring your past in the face and deciding that despite what has happened to you, you will continue to be open to people and experiences. You won’t let the world make you hard.
Vulnerability is choosing love. Choosing love again and again. It is knowing that you may be hurt, you may get broken, but you are allowing yourself to experience the most wonderful parts of life. And that’s truly beautiful.
Vulnerability is doing things that terrify you. It is opening up to people. It is giving others the opportunity to know you, the real you. And letting go of the fear of what they might find. It is giving yourself the opportunity for real, authentic relationships. Relationships that matter, that mean something.
Vulnerability is doing things that terrify you so that you can grow, experience, and flourish. It is not backing away from things because they’re new or unknown or scary. But embracing what the world has to offer, without holding back.
Vulnerability is power, is second chances, is giving yourself the best life you can.
Vulnerability is what makes us human. So please, don’t be afraid of it.
Don’t be afraid to peel back your layers, to grab hold of what makes you nervous, to open yourself to love, even after the door’s been closed.
Don’t be afraid to forgive, to let go of your past, to bring in the new and to celebrate yourself, your life.
Vulnerability is strength. And you, honey, are resilient.
—Marisa Donnelly
But what they don’t understand, is that being vulnerable is the strongest thing you can be.
Vulnerability is opening your eyes and being honest with yourself. It is seeing the weakest, most fragile parts of yourself and acknowledging them, owning them. It is realizing your imperfections, your fears, and your desires. It is staring your past in the face and deciding that despite what has happened to you, you will continue to be open to people and experiences. You won’t let the world make you hard.
Vulnerability is choosing love. Choosing love again and again. It is knowing that you may be hurt, you may get broken, but you are allowing yourself to experience the most wonderful parts of life. And that’s truly beautiful.
Vulnerability is doing things that terrify you. It is opening up to people. It is giving others the opportunity to know you, the real you. And letting go of the fear of what they might find. It is giving yourself the opportunity for real, authentic relationships. Relationships that matter, that mean something.
Vulnerability is doing things that terrify you so that you can grow, experience, and flourish. It is not backing away from things because they’re new or unknown or scary. But embracing what the world has to offer, without holding back.
Vulnerability is power, is second chances, is giving yourself the best life you can.
Vulnerability is what makes us human. So please, don’t be afraid of it.
Don’t be afraid to peel back your layers, to grab hold of what makes you nervous, to open yourself to love, even after the door’s been closed.
Don’t be afraid to forgive, to let go of your past, to bring in the new and to celebrate yourself, your life.
Vulnerability is strength. And you, honey, are resilient.
—Marisa Donnelly
you
ruin
your
life
by
desensitizing yourself. We are all afraid
to say too much, to feel too deeply, to let people know what
they mean to us. Caring is not synonymous with crazy.
Expressing to someone how special they are to you will make you
vulnerable. There is no denying that. However, that is nothing
to be ashamed of. There is something breathtakingly beautiful
in the moments of smaller magic that occur when you strip down
and are honest with those who are important to you. Let that
girl know that she inspires you. Tell your mother you love her
in front of your friends. Express, express, express. Open
yourself up, do not harden yourself to the world, and be bold
in who, and how you love. There is courage in
that.
