I had to be broken so I could meet you.

It couldn’t have happened any other way.

My heart had to be splintered, smashed, just short of shattering completely.

I had to fly low and dive deep.

I had to let myself disintegrate into wounded ashes.

Yes.

I had to be broken so I could meet you.

Because I didn’t learn to be myself until I was broken.

The exquisite elixir of vulnerability transformed me.

It opened my eyes and unlocked my heart.

I had to be broken so I could meet you.

Because those jagged shards became beautiful as they opened up new space in my fragile heart.

Space that wasn’t there before.

Space I didn’t know about.

Space that your heart needed so it could entangle entirely with mine.

I had to be broken so I could meet you.

And you had to be broken, too.

Because when our shattered hearts saw each other for the first time,

They were wise and knew this was real.

We both breathed in, and by the time that inhale transformed into an exhale,

I was yours and you were mine.

A simple transformation, a beautiful alchemical exchange.

I had to be broken so I could meet you.

Of course, I was broken all along.

I just didn’t always know it.

Of course, you were broken all along.

You just didn’t always know it.

But, it’s so lucky we were both destroyed—

Because our fragile hearts slid perfectly together between those sharp shards.

Now fused permanently with glossy golden ribbon,

Our formerly tattered hearts smile and sunbathe in bliss.

Pure bliss.

I had to be broken so I could meet you.

Because being broken made me courageous.

And I needed to be brave enough to show you my flaws,

Which are actually the things you love the most.

And you needed to be brave enough to show me your flaws,

Which are actually the things I love the most.

I had to be broken so I could meet you.

Because brokenness made me real.

You had to be broken so you could meet me.

Because brokenness made you real.

And, what we both wanted

More than anything

Was to be

Real.

More reads:

Our Happiness comes from Knowing.

Deglorifying Pain & Trauma—10 Ways to Heal & Welcome Change.

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Author: Sarah Harvey

Editor: Emily Bartran

Photo: Pablo Merchán Montes on Unsplash