Monday, May 8, 2017

The Good Heart

You have a good heart.

Don’t let people be clever with it.

It is not a toy, or a novelty, or something that should only be loved briefly.

Only your heart is your heart.

Don’t let someone leave it behind, in the backseat of a car, in a time before now, or in someone else’s ribs.

Don’t let someone handle your heart with dirty hands and don’t let them use your heart to clean up after someone else’s heart. Your heart is not a rag, your heart, is your heart.

So offer your heart sparingly but bravely and if your offer is not accepted, do not accept a lower counteroffer. 

Because your heart is precious.

Keep it secretly, in a box made of self-love and kindness and the softest blankets and pillows. Wrap it in silk and keep it in your chest, even when it feels like it’s at the back of your throat.

Because only your heart cares enough about you, to beat for you.

So do not leave it outside, to be weathered in the rain and if you have, run, now and go and get it and hold it in your own hands and cry and whisper over and over and over again,

“I am sorry, I love you, and I will never let you go again.”

Love your own good heart.

Because a good heart will last a lifetime and if you can find another good heart, together they will last even longer than that. Let it beat for them every day, like a drum at the end of the universe, and say,

“If you knew everything my heart has been through, you would give it a medal and you would hear it clang every time it beat.”

And then let your good heart ring, like a bell.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ben, do you ever read the comments? I left one for you once.

Anonymous said...

Love this. Love you.

Anonymous said...

Fifteen minutes ago, I was sitting in the bathtub thinking to myself that, I am determined to learn the right lesson. You were the one who taught me not to fall in love, willy nilly. You were the one who taught me that there is a difference between what you want and what must be, and that the latter cannot be compromised. Not for the sake of the sensation of freefall. Not even for the sake of a stone sitting heavy on your chest. You learned this yourself, once. But you also learned to be afraid.

I have learned your lesson. I will never throw my heart far from my ribcage with reckless abandon again. But I vow not to learn to be afraid. Not now, or ever. When the moment comes, whether in a year, or twenty, I will fall in love as if for the first time, with joy in my heart and a song on my tongue.

I dearly hope that you will find your courage someday. I held on as long as I did, for the sake of the glimmer of paradise that I saw in your heart. I don't believe my eyes were deceived. A heart like that, deserves bravery. A heart like that, is meant to love. I wish you well in this.

But the heart I hope you love, will not be mine.

Thank you, You, for this affirmation. Your words always come at precisely the right time. That's how I know that there is still magic in the world.

Anonymous said...

The heart that loves purely is brave and true... but sometimes that love doesn't come back to you... you open your heart as wide as can be... and pour out a love greater than the oceans and seas... drown in your tears and the hopeless fears... wondering how after all of these years and wondering when that love will appear... it doesn't always come in the way you had thought... all the dreams you had planned have come to nought... but one day you find just out of blue.. a soul so beautiful, kind and crazy too... you connect so deeply you won't believe it's true... to appreciate and love every tiny thing they do... they radiate light in your life that reflects upon you... night after night and day after day you pray that these souls together forever will stay... for you opened your heart and gave all your love... gave all your trust and hope its enough... your heart it loves purely... that's simple and true... and that beautiful love it came back to you....

Anonymous said...

Love this....

Anonymous said...

@Anonymous

Sometimes I read the comments. Where did you leave the last one?

Anonymous said...

@Anonymous

Or was this the first one you left for me?

- Ben

Anonymous said...

It was on the last poem. Ben is a pretty common name. I don't even know if it's you.

Anonymous said...

^ and i'm not even sure if I want you to know it's me.

Anonymous said...

The one about missing the person but not wanting to tell them because you're afraid of being rejected?

It probably isn't me but it was weird seeing my name. Almost haunting. I immediately thought of someone that I wish I gave more closure to.

Find a poem that was written on your birthday. Leave the initials of your first and last name in the comments - nothing else. Come back here and let me know when you've done this so I can search and see if it's you.

- Ben

Anonymous said...

Alright, I did it. Even if it's not me, maybe you should contact the person you thought about.

Anonymous said...

It's you.

- Ben

Anonymous said...

Well, now you know.

Anonymous said...

Dear You,

I know you have just posted this one several days ago. But it already feels like a very long time. Maybe it's just because I've read and reread and reread again. It's warm and comforting, like what an old blanket can do for you in a heavy raining day.
I wish you find comfort in it also, as much or even more than what it gives me. Thank you for your kind words.
The road is long and the fight is hard. But your words have been a constant recharge.

Me.

Unknown said...

Beautiful! Honest. I cannot wait to see you at the book signing today!