By Sigrid E. Mortensen

© 2023

When the dial glides easily

With a flick of the fingers….

When it spins just the right amount

With smooth, quiet ticks

In just the right direction

To land on the perfect

Destination

Numbers only now remembered….

When barrels tumble

And give

And yield,

And metal clicks

And sighs,

And with a satisfying clunk

The lock falls open

Heavy and cold

In the palm of your hand

And you stare at it

As startled at it is

That it surrendered ground so quickly….

When you can slide that crooked shaft

Soundlessly from its rusty latch

And the heavy door 

Held shut for years

Opens with a whisper….

When sunlight streams through the opening

Motes dancing on beams

And blinds your face with warmth

And recognition….

When all resistance falls away,

When muscles long held tense

For reasons you can no longer quite recall

Melt into acceptance….

When you know

Without a solitary doubt

That you never had a reason to fear

Or worry

Or fret….

When you remember,

“Oh, yes!

This is how I let go!

And this is what it feels like to

Invite those shy gremlins of fun

And play

And joy

To peek from behind the corner

And run into my world

Skipping

And scrambling

And giggling,

Glad to be a part of my game….”

It is in these moments

That you free yourself from the barriers that

Only you

Could have placed on the gates

Keeping you safe from

Who 

Knows what?

It is then that you remember

Who you are

And why you’re here

And all you have to offer.

It is then that you unlock

The full potential

Of your creative

Genius

And bask in the

Openness

Of your 

Unguarded

Heart.