T H E D R E S S

The dress fits you better 
Than it did on me
I halfway can’t stand it 
I am halfway okay with that
But I want to be fully okay with it

It’s a hard fact to face
When your dream is stolen 
By someone better than yourself
I wanted to be happy within that realm
....but it wasn’t made for me.

I wasn’t the young woman naturally cut out for that dress 
Its material lacked a form fitting shape for my body
I thought I was made to live that life
I thought it brought me so much joy
....but it obviously brings you more joy. 

I’ve always wanted to see myself from someone else’s perspective 
It seems I’m looking at a piece of myself flourish in someone else’s skeleton
My old dream found it’s nearly 
perfect surrogate 
Ironically
....and I’m happy it did. 

I wish I could hand the dress down.
i wish I could feel more peace instead of lingering jealousy. 
I wish I could meet you there
i wish I could realize your path
wasn’t meant to be mine.

But if I had to give away that dream, 
I would give it to someone of whom I could personally relate.
i would give it to someone a lot like you.
i would want someone else to cherish it, so it wouldn’t perish into the endless darkness....
....of things that would never happen.

So I’m choosing to give it away.
so it can fly into the bliss it deserves.
so it can bloom in the soil of a soul, 
tending its life to the light 
of which the dream already holds 

Yes. It’s hard.
it’s hard to give this beautiful dream up.
it’s hard to watch an old version of yourself go.
but sometimes it’s necessary 
so new dreams can surface.
yes, new dreams can surface.

close to weeping
silently weeping 
But the weep isn’t for you
or for me
....as much as it is for us.

the death of my old self and the dream inside her
and the rebirth of human nature and the possibly turbulent creation of a new self 
I’m too scared though
But it’s really what I need to do 
To meet my new dreams 

thank you for holding a special space for my old dream to live.
thank you for being the girl to wear the dress now. 
I hope you love it
and that you come alive when you wear it. 


L I S T E N I N G   T O : Lindsey Stirling & Elle King, “The Upside”

2 Replies to “T H E D R E S S”

  1. Oh, my Dawn. Your new dress is being made, just for you. I can’t wait to see you wear it, your own, your own way and own style, and you’ll love it as much as I love you, which is immensely. What an amazing writer you are. We talked about your desire for others to see the world the way you see it. You are so good at that. Not just through your photographs, but just like here through your words. I’m so amazed by you. So inspired. Thanks for sharing your journey with me. I am honored and grateful. LYS

  2. WOW!
    You have such power, force, strength, and then the lightness and softness of well-worn linen on a hot summer day.
    You have a deft hand with words, and those words are beautifully moving.

    This piece resonates with my spirit, in old and new ways. Thank you for sharing, for so many reasons.

    May the dreams be sweet, adventurous, salty, warming, AND cooling. May they shimmer, and fit you perfectly.

    LYS!

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