From behind my eyes
From behind my eyes
I wish you could linger behind my eyes
and see the you I see.
You would see clearly then
as you truly are.
From behind my eyes, you would understand
your strength,
your beauty,
all the wonderous parts that make you
you.
If I could lend my vision to you,
maybe then you would know why I smile when you enter the room.
You would see the way your own eyes dance when you laugh,
the intensity that creases your brow when deep in thought.
With my eyes you would notice
how fiercely you love,
the bounty of your gifts and talents, and
how your compassion flows freely.
If you were to see yourself through my eyes,
you would recognize the lies spoken to you
that should have never been uttered.
You would reject those words
and stand with your head held high.
How I wish I could loan you my eyes,
but for a moment
just one moment.
Thinking of some friends, some older, some younger, and some my own age, who carry around the lies others have spoken to them. Heck, I have done it myself. I am thankful for friends who speak truth over me, who call out the good, the gifts, and the talents in me. When the world feels heavy, and the walls feel like they are closing in, I need the perspective of a trusted friend and hear truth spoken over me in order to keep moving forward.
Working with teens, I often wish they could see themselves as I see them. They are ridiculously talented, incredibly fun, and altogether wonderful. Many are carrying around false stories spoken about them, to them, over them. And I hate how those words cling to them, damaging them until someone tells them a different story, a better and truer story.
What would it be like if we began speaking what we see in others out loud, to them and to others? How might attitudes and situations change, if we called out the gifts and the talents we see? I wonder what changes we would see if we lent our eyes to one another.