Evolving & Flourishing: Two Poems for the Girl Who Is Still Becoming

The middle is the hardest part. Not the beginning, when everything is new and anything seems possible. Not the end, when you can look back and make sense of it all. The middle, when you're still changing and you can't yet see what you're changing into.

These two poems are for the middle. Anaya wrote them there.

EVOLVING

They say evolving is about changing with time,

Adapting, growing, reaching for the climb.

But I've learned it's more than just shifting the way,

It's the journey inside that's leading the way.

It's the courage to face what's new and unknown,

And letting go of what you've outgrown.

It's the lessons you learn from every mistake,

And the strength you find when you choose to awake.

Evolving is the freedom to be who you are,

To change and grow, to reach for the stars.

It's the peace you find when you shed the past,

And embrace the future, making it last.

It's in the moments when you pause and reflect,

When you see how far you've come, what you've yet to perfect.

It's the quiet growth, the small steady steps,

And the joy of becoming, without regrets.

Evolving isn't about rushing or speed,

It's about learning and planting the seed.

It's in the patience, the time it takes,

To shape your path, and to make the breaks.

FLOURISHING

They say flourishing is blooming in the sun,

Growing with grace, like a race just begun.

But I've learned it's more than just outward bloom,

It's the quiet strength that chases away gloom.

It's the way you rise after every fall,

With hope in your heart and strength to stand tall.

It's the beauty in growth, in every new leaf,

And the joy in finding relief from grief.

Flourishing is the courage to spread your wings,

To face each challenge that life brings.

It's the joy you find in learning each day,

And the way your spirit shines, come what may.

It's in the relationships that bloom and grow,

The bonds that nurture, the love you sow.

It's in the way you learn to embrace,

Every new chapter, every new place.

Flourishing isn't just about the bloom you see,

It's about the roots that set you free.

It's in the way you bloom from within,

And let your heart be where the journey begins.

— Anaya Deshmukh, Daughters of India

Which line felt like it was written exactly for where you are right now? Tell us in the comments — we genuinely want to know.

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Part of our Whispers Within poetry series: Thriving & Progressing, Whole-Hearted & Breathtaking, Unique & Accepting, and more — explore the full collection on our Whispers Within pillar page.

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