You know I was born

I work in marketing 
I look at spreadsheets and dashboards 
It's fun, but you know I was born 
to look at earthworms crawling in the mud, 
and marvel at sunflowers springing from seeds. 

I speak a language which requires me 

to sometimes say words like investment and equity, 

but they don't roll easily off my tongue. 

You know I was born to say words like 

rainwashed and sunsoaked and barefoot abandon. 

I create to-do lists and set reminders 

to structure my life 

and deliver whatever I'm supposed to. 

But you know I was born to create stories 

and compose songs and draw pictures and get paint on my pajamas. 

I meet people and say, "Hi nice to meet you," 

I stay polite and draw boundaries 

and behave the way I'm expected to. 

But you know I was born to have deep, unshakeable connections 

and to love wildly in a way I'm not expected to.

In my everyday life, I keep my guard up

I am careful, I know that self-preservation is an acquired skill. 

Once in a while I'm compelled to let go.  

And that's when it all feels right -- 

because you know I was born 

to give all of me away.