You have been with me for such a long time
I didn’t even know you were there
Hiding in the corners of my heart
Tainting almost everything from within.

Where did you come from?
How long have you haunted me?
How much have you sabotaged?
What have you stolen?

Maybe at some point you served me
Perhaps you protected a wounded and tender heart
If so, thank you but those times have passed
You are in the way now, restricting progress.

Old friend, how do we break these bonds?
You have been here for so long
My muscles remember you
My mind is seduced by the deceptive comfort that you bring.

Forging a path that is free of you will be difficult
My mind and body must be retrained and reoriented
My emotions need to calibrate to new realities
And then my heart can open to new possibilities.