journey – valerieparente

The Fine Line of Yearning by Valerie Parente

Yearning is a fine line
between surviving and thriving
and somewhere along the line
I fell in love with the surviving
the journey to preserve myself
while trusting the timing
that the goal of something else
would be gratifying.

But I didn’t prepare for
the comfort of discomfort
finding home in the journey
finding peace in the yearning.
Waiting
preparing
learning
becoming the best me
and when I finally had my hands on all I dreamed
I couldn’t shake the feeling
that I wanted to go back to sleep.

But now I know who I am
and I know what I will carry with me
and I know closing that circle
is where that fine line completes.

– Valerie Parente (6-28-2026)

Spark by Valerie Parente

I didn’t need the unequivocal reciprocation from the stars
to feel that motivating spark
all I needed was a feeling
then I ran like the wind.

Nothing mutual was necessary when I decided to run
I felt compelled and that was enough
ambivalence nor rejection mattered
I ran, and rewards came after.

That path was everything because that path was my point of view
I ran a marathon not because the stars told me to
but because they lit up the dark
even when I could not.

Something beautiful happened during those simple, naive days
I didn’t realize, but I won before the end of the race
I aimed to be like the stars early on
but that spark was in me all along.

– Valerie Parente (7-11-2021)