Chapter 11
Standing Tall Alone
No hand to lean, no arm to hold, just my roots and petals gold — steady where the breezes blow, complete enough to stand and grow.
No arm to lean on when the wind blows strong, no voice beside me singing me along — I learned to hold my own weight, stem and crown, never to bow or let my spirit down. They wonder how I rise without a hand, how I remain so firm upon this land. They do not see the roots I dug so deep, or all the quiet tears I’ve had to weep. I found my balance in the open space, turned my face upward toward the sun’s warm grace. No need for someone else to make me whole — I hold my own heart, steady, brave, and whole. Alone does not mean lonely, I have learned; it means my inner light is brightly burned. I stand tall, golden, rooted in my worth, a sunflower queen upon this rugged earth.