Forward by Valerie Parente

You don’t have to explain yourself,
the past is in the past,
it’s time to enjoy life again,
so don’t you dare look back.

When you want to regress,
just remember the fact,
that love is supposed to feel good,
it’s not a battle to be had.

You romanticized the struggle,
you let the feelings drag,
because it felt safer in this circle,
when you ran another lap.

There will be moments of doubt,
you’ll be tempted to go off-track,
but if you keep moving foward,
then you’re on the right path.

You’re not running away from problems,
you’re making a future that will last,
those old feelings were addicting,
and there’s no time to relapse.

– Valerie Parente (6-17-2020)