SHADOWS OF THE SHADOWS

SHADOWS OF THE SHADOW

In the shadow of soaring loneliness rates,
We connect—our neurons ignite,
Daring to set the world ablaze with fire. Society crowns conformity's throne,
And truth be told, it dims authenticity's light.
Yet among the thorns, roses like you bloom bright. You teach through challenge, without judgment's sting,
With open-ended questions that spark my curiosity.
You see the unseen burdens I carry for others, And I'd wager our minds are kin—uniquely complex.
No one need be more or less than they desire.
I remind you often: you owe no explanations, For I cherish your time's precious gleam—
Teacher, mother, wife, a beautiful mess,
Perfectly blended into the woman I know, Dr. [Name], whose brilliance could blind your own mirror.
I hope to witness the day you fully embrace
What everyone else already sees. That teacher DNA, woven with compassion,
The vulnerability in your tears you freely give,
Sharing pieces of your day like sacred gifts. I cannot unsee your vibrant truth,
Nor the disruption it sometimes brings.
I've said it once, and I'll say it twice— No one promised universal adoration,
But truth and genius are your superpowers,
Long ignored by the many, yet cherished by me. I'll stand by my word, our only bond,
Just another namesake echoing before you.
I laugh to myself—everyone forgets The grind of day in, day out;
How studying people wires the mind,
Making perceptions impossible to unsee. It comes to this: I've witnessed you over time,
On days when confidence tumbled down stairs.
I've heard your resilience, seen it in motion, Its steadfast follow-through.
Your labor earns recognition; a crew believes
In the emotional stock of your genius. No one has it all figured out,
But in the end, things turn out okay—
If not better, in the quiet unfolding.