While everything comes to an end I’m hear next to you holding your hand Just listen to me just one more chance a chance I might not win but a chance that will come to and end There from the start there through it all not even from the beginning but I only had to make one call By my side every step of the way you watching me grow and even said hooray You pick me up on my worst days showed me how to love the correct way A fight we put up but a fight we couldn’t hold not even for the longest but you was there as I grow The connection was there and a time was had a time that i enjoyed but now the times in the past Not only a time thats hard to forget but a time I enjoy ever little bit As we go our separate ways distance from each other we may not come back but there was a time When we had each other Years from now as I’m writing this poem A connection that gone by something I did wrong

… … … … Silence is natural Uneasy to some … … … … To others That is just how they live There is no pressure to talk There is no pressure to share your ideas Sometimes The best conversations you have Are just with the voices in your head … … … … Silence is steady Just you and your thoughts There is no pressure at all You do what makes you comfortable❤️

Our shoulders rest together, Kissing for our lips Our lips which mouth the Words on our pages. We don’t need to speak We let our love do that.

Silence is a man A man who wraps me in its arms A man with a gentle hush, a quiet charm. A man with no need for words. A man with no need for sound. With him, In this soft space, I’m safe. He holds me close, without a plea. I feel with him more free than ever. Silence, tender and serene. With him, I find the peace I've always seen. Silence is a man.

Curled up in a comfy chair. It’s cold outside, but warm here. Music, silent to the rest of the room, wraps around my mind, soft like a blanket. I don’t even like this song. But I’m not listening to it, not really. For the first time in a while, my head’s empty. Quiet. It’s so comfortable, so peaceful. My mind’s empty, yet there’s no void. My head’s muffled, yet I’m not concerned. No thoughts. No worries. No anxiety. Like the space between consciousness and dreams, my mind is drifting away from me, drifting to somewhere safe, somewhere happy. I don’t have to be the girl with good grades. I don’t have to be the girl who’s kind to everyone, who helps with everything. I don’t have to be anyone but me. My mind is finally quiet.

The sun streamed through my bedroom window, warming my face and nudging me toward consciousness. Another day in our small town, another day filled with youth group meetings, scripture memorization, and that all-too-familiar struggle of wanting to be a good Christian girl while harboring a crush on Jason, the quintessential golden boy of my high school. He was kind and funny, a perfect fit in the mold of the boys I was supposed to like. But that morning, something felt different—like the fresh start of spring. I shook off the feeling and threw on my favorite T-shirt, one that reeked of teen spirit and innocence, and headed down for breakfast. "Good morning, Celeste!" my mom chirped, her smile warm and inviting. "Are you excited for the youth group meeting tonight?" "Yeah, sure," I replied, forcing a smile. If I could just focus on Jason and the plans for the evening, everything would be fine. Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself. After breakfast, I skipped out to my favorite park—my sanctuary. The smell of fresh grass towed in the sound of children laughing, and I breathed deeply, letting the air fill me up. I plopped down on a bench, book in hand, lost in the words of my favorite romance novel. That was when she walked by—the girl with long, flowing brunette hair and a carefree smile that lit up the afternoon sun. I blinked, confused as my stomach flipped. She was stunning. "Sorry!" she called out, nearly bumping into the bench. "I didn’t see you there!" "No worries!" I replied, trying to shake the cobwebs of my thoughts. "What’s your name?" “Luna,” she said, extending a hand, her grip firm yet gentle. “And you?” “Celeste,” I mumbled, my heart racing as our hands met. There was a spark, a connection that tugged at something deep within me—something I had never allowed myself to explore. As our conversation flowed, I learned Luna had just moved to town and was looking for friends. Her laughter was infectious, and soon we were planning to meet again. But as excited as I felt, a heavy blanket of confusion settled over me like fog. I shook my head, trying to clear the clouds. This wasn’t right! I was raised to like boys, to wait for marriage, and to seek out what God expected of me. But why was my heart betraying me? Weeks passed, and my friendship with Luna grew. We spent afternoons studying together, shared laughs, and even attended youth group together. I could feel myself falling for her, and it made my insides twist into knots. Despite the joy she brought, guilt began to seep in, whispering doubts that left me spiraling. Should I tell her? Should I even be feeling this way? Was it a phase, a rebellion against everything I’d been taught? At church, during a discussion about self-love, I felt my dread twist into pride. “Have confidence in your feelings,” the pastor encouraged, and suddenly I realized how meaningful my emotions felt, how valid they were. Maybe it was okay to feel this way, that love wasn’t confined to a set of rules or expectations. It was messy, confusing, and oh so beautiful. When I found out Luna was also a member of the youth group, I felt both thrilled and terrified. Our connection deepened, and eventually, my resolve crumbled. As we hung out more, the lines between friendship and something more blurred. I could no longer ignore the way my pulse quickened whenever she brushed her fingers against mine or how my heart soared with her every smile. After weeks of sleepless nights, I finally gathered the courage to ask her out. We were hanging outside after a youth group meeting; the sky was painted with orange hues as the sun dipped below the horizon. “Luna,” I said, my voice trembling. “I know this might sound crazy, but would you want to go out with me… like, on a date?” She paused, tilting her head with that captivating grin. “You’re serious?” “Absolutely.” My heart thundered in my chest as I awaited her answer. Her eyes widened in surprise before they softened with understanding. “I’d love to, Celeste.” In that moment, every doubt, every fear melted away. I had chosen to follow my heart—an act of faith, truly—and it felt liberating. Though the challenges ahead were daunting, I was ready to explore uncharted waters. My faith would shape me, but love would guide me. I may have started this journey a good Christian girl with a crush on a boy, but now, I was navigating the thrilling waters of who I truly could be—a girl in love, heart open wide to both wonders and uncertainties. And it felt good.

I feel a comfort at libraries It may seem odd The fact that I want to spend hours on end just in a library But I feel a safety around borrowed books like no other As if being around the words of creative authors gives me extra air to breathe It makes me feel like I finally belong somewhere I look around the aisles and see stories from people all around the world It gives me inspiration to read a million made up universes that have been created Or a million real stories of people that were once walking this earth I’m standing here in between them all I’m absolutely mesmerized Mesmerized In the same way I am when I see the different colors of the sunset stretching across the sky I can’t imagine a more magical place to be Wandering the building Reading previews of the most enchanting Heartbreaking Beautiful Worlds that people have created I will forever get lost in the silence and the mystery of libraries I will forever walk inside these doors and feel as if this is where I’m meant to be I will forever need books the way the trees need the sun

In a world were no sound could be heard she makes my heart beat until I turned crazy. dudum dudum dudum dudum …dudum. If it’s impossible for us to listen to sounds and melodies she would be the reason I feel the melodies rushing the my body when my heart beats for her. It’s like my body sways from side to side to the beat of my heart. I can feel the rhythm and harmony spread throughout the room whenever she smiles as the atoms of oxygen and carbon dioxide swirl and dance around celebrating her presence. She is life to the dead, somehow I feel alive only when she’s around and when she’s far I find myself longing for her making me feel as if death has chosen to come upon me. Desperately looking at her from a far enjoying her existence comfortably in the midst of chaos. Only she makes me thrive in quietness no words needed to be uttered.

That’s the moments In which I’m wrapped in your arms Breathing synced to yours Hearing your heartbeat. The days when I’m watching A movie with you Because you make me smile When I feel lost sometimes. My comfortable silence days Are with you Because your home. — A poem I hope he may read if I find one like that

Hiking along the valley of the river I can hear the water washing away everything that comes within reach I walk away from the crashing of the river into the woods Into the trees As I’m walking the sound of the water is slowly disappearing And the silence of the forest is filling me up I can feel the void of noise I can feel the silence echoing inside my bones I glance down to see the grass blowing in the wind I sit down against a tree to observe the movement under my fingertips I look up and catch the sight of the top of the trees swaying high in the sky As the clouds slowly move to a new spot every few seconds Some may feel the stillness in the silence and feel uncomfortable or on edge But I see the absence of noice as a chance to feel peace Because In the silence of the trees I finally feel safe