Please Love Me at My Worst

by Michaela Angemeer

you are the only person who can put yourself first

remember, you are like the moon you can choose how where and when you reveal yourself

tell the sun i love her and in return she gives me freckles under my eyes tans my shoulders streaks my hair warms my chest tells my soul that life is still worth living

keep shouting who am i into the void the echo screams back whoever you want to be

love is sharing a banana split. and letting you have the last spring roll. it’s reminding me that i need to wake up early tomorrow. and staying up until i fall asleep. love is driving me to the airport. bringing takeout when you pick me up. love is grabbing your hand on a roller coaster. or during a scary movie. love is asking if you need a jacket. it’s feeling sad for me when i’m sad. love is knowing your favorite pizza toppings. love is surprise notes. love is being honest. love is showing up. love is all of it.

and when the shore seems out of reach don’t forget that you can always just float for a while

every night the moon sings me the same song

there is room for softness here

stop making choices that prioritize other people over yourself

you are enough. without trying harder. without learning new things. without accomplishments. without success. without getting bigger or smaller. without getting smarter. without improvements. without changing anything at all. you are enough, just as you are.

look at this body look how she lets you breathe a belly filled with air is healing an exhale is surrender look at how she lets you move hips following rhythm feet dancing through sunlight look at her glow look at what she’s done for you tell her you love her tell her it’s not about what meets the eye it’s how she makes you feel

loving your body is a small revolution ignore anyone who tells you to change it

and just like the full moon you can release you can let go and make room for something new

don’t forget to celebrate yourself. celebrate who you are and your potential of becoming.

you owe it to yourself to live this life in your wild. you owe it to yourself to find out who you are.