Sometimes I feel like you see me as a delicate flower.
Beautiful enough to admire from a distance but don’t get too close or my petals might fly away.
Sometimes I feel like you see me as radiant orchid.
Watering me up with kind words and compliments until my stomach is so full it feels like it’s about to burst.
I smile through the pain.
I’m drowning in your expectations of me.
You want me to be gentle, patient, and forgiving…but in all reality…
I’m a piece of work…I can get so angry my skin turns a deeper red than the blood boiling in my body, I can laugh so loud that it feels like the room is bursting around me, I can cry so hard my body shakes uncontrollably, I can love so deeply that my heart forms palpitations at the touch of your hand in my hand.
No, I’m not your delicate sunflower, daffodil, or rose….I’m a Venus Flytrap.
Pause. I don’t exactly know what that means or where I’m going with that analogy but just know…
I’m 5 foot 3, 115 pounds of pure fury. I’m tougher than I look….and unlike the delicate flower you see me as, I’m not going to crumble under your hands and fly away.
Sincerely,
Your former delicate flower (scratch that…your tough venus flytrap)
**All images are courtesy of Nonye Okafor.