The river of disappointment and sorrow—the one that catches in your throat and you swallow back, the one that stings your eyes hot with betraying tears—if you release that pain to stream freely, it will push out, out to empty itself into the vast deep of the salty ocean brine that scrubs clean the wound. Then only a faint scar remains and gleams just under the wash of lapping, laughing waves and silent sunshine. Now go home and close your eyes, remember letting go and feeling weightless—and yes the ocean turned to blood for a second, and the driftwood that you clutched floated back out to the sea.

©️Bonnie Saul Wilks