The Power to Be: Unraveling Self through Another's Gaze

In the heart of bare, a story does unfold,

Of a kind woman, my mom's friend, a spirit bold.

She held up a mirror, 'gainst my vulnerable state,

Guided me through the threshold, my identity to narrate.

A mirror, not just glass, but a magic portal,

In it, I glimpsed, my future, so mortal.

No longer just my reflection, but a vision pure,

The dawn of a day, my self-disclosure.

More than a visage, more than a trace,

I saw my strength, in humanity's embrace.

With the rising sun, a new power begun,

I felt the glow, as bright as the sun.

Not a mere shadow, not just a name,

I was an ocean, wild and untamed.

Aflame with purpose, with potential alight,

In myself, I discovered, a truth so right.

No longer a girl, an entity new,

In my nudity, to myself, I grew true.

Through the eyes of her, I saw my worth,

My journey started, my own rebirth.

She saw in me, a budding bloom,

Not just bare, but a spirit in whom,

Lies potential and strength, so vast,

And in her faith, my self I cast.

Remember today, this moment, this verse,

A reflection of self, in the universe.

For it's not just the mirror, but the eyes that see,

And in that truth, lies the power to be.

© Susie Stiles-Wolf