Happiness is not in the gold or the gleam,
Not found in the chase of a faraway dream.
It’s not in the praise or the echoing cheer—
But quietly waits in the mirror, right here.
It lives in the way that you speak to your soul,
In patching the cracks, in making you whole.
It blooms in the silence when no one can see,
The kindness you offer your own company.
It’s waking up gently, no judgment or shame,
Calling yourself by your true, sacred name.
It’s standing up tall when the world says “sit down,”
Wearing your worth like a luminous crown.
Loving yourself is the start and the key—
To joy that runs deep, to finally be free.
Not selfish, not prideful—just fiercely aware
That you, just as you are, are worthy of care.
So start where you are—no need to rehearse.
The truest of joys? Loving yourself first.
Thank-you for reading.
Remember there are many paths back to God.
Follow your own path,
Brenda Marie
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