Whole-Hearted & Breathtaking: Two Poems About Being All the Way In

Two poems about fullness. Not the Instagram version of a full life. The actual version — imperfect, raw, completely present.

WHOLE-HEARTED

They say being whole-hearted means giving your all,

To love with abandon, no fear of the fall.

But I've learned it's more than just being kind,

It's a deep, open love that comes from the mind.

It's in the way you care, without holding back,

Lending your strength when others lack.

It's the way you pour yourself into what you believe,

With no strings attached, no need to deceive.

Whole-hearted is when you show your true face,

Without masks, without a trace.

It's being vulnerable, without any shame,

And loving others without playing a game.

It's the courage to stand, to fight, to cry,

And knowing it's okay to ask, "Why?"

It's the strength to rise, even when you're torn,

To embrace the journey, though it may be worn.

Whole-hearted isn't perfect, it's real and it's raw,

It's loving yourself, without flaw.

It's the way you live, with passion and grace,

A love for life, in every embrace.

BREATHTAKING

Breathtaking is the pause that stills the world,

The way my laughter blooms without fear.

It's in the warmth I bring to a quiet room,

A light that lingers long after I leave.

It's the courage in my unsteady steps,

The spark in my eyes when dreams take flight.

Breathtaking is the joy I carry,

Even when shadows threaten the light.

It's the way I rise, no matter the fall,

The strength that grows beneath my skin.

A beauty that's wild, untamed, and free —

Not in the mirror, but deep within.

I am the sunrise after the longest night,

The storm that clears to reveal the blue.

Breathtaking is simply being myself —

No one else could shine the way I do.

— Anaya Deshmukh, Daughters of India

"No one else could shine the way I do." When did you last actually believe that? Tell us in the comments.

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

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