Where do good feelings come from? They are tucked away and concealed in a calming, charming, and uplifting voice; they are within the frame of an embracing, delightful, and warm soul; they are within tiny acts that aren’t oft committed in the world; they are within the reassurances of the words “I’ll always be here”; they are within every smile and every laughter felt; they are within the tranquility that a place provides. Good feelings are hidden in many facets. They are beautiful gems oft battling the bad feelings, sometimes even smothered by that foe. But if one simply pauses, breathes, and carefully looks and observes, the true beauty of this world is revealed before one’s eyes, even if it may lie in a person, a place, a thing, or a hobby or passion. Even if it may lie in the tiniest of actions. And when you find and take hold of every good feeling you cross paths with, it warms the soul and liberates it. It uplifts, enlightens, inspires, emboldens, and carries one along unafraid of the trudges and selectiveness of society. Every good feeling is worth fighting to take grasp of and hold on to. These good feelings etch themselves into one’s memories, an unforgettable and beautiful moment recalled during silent, solitary times of the day.

And so, carry this flattened and abused, destroyed heart to a realm that is nigh dream-like. Pure bliss that seems too good to be true. Fill up this empty heart with good feelings and purge the bad forevermore. Liberate, embrace, console. Inspire, accept, love, and bring this heart out of the deepening ashes. Breathe the fresh air, this heart of mine, filling this soul long devoid of any genuine and lasting good feelings, of any form of being seen, accepted, and loved. Now you can stand, this heart of mine. Now there are smiles and laughter, which was stolen time-and-again.

At the end of the path, recollection of the fear and deepest sadness of never leaving a growing darkness, an endless nightmare batters my mind. When it seemed every effort, every piece of my heart given, every word uttered, every thought shared was taken and smashed, taken and abused, taken and ravished, now there is light. Now there is a strength. Now there is hope, there is joy, there are smiles and laughter again nigh forgotten. There is motivation, encouragement, confidence. There is a beauty concealed in the form of good feelings, molded into the shape of closest friends and of a treasure I will keep safely, secretly tucked away in the vaults of my heart.

How peculiar that such beauty can be found in the most unexpected of situations, places, or people at the most unimaginable and impressive timing. The seasons may pass and recycle. The flowers bloom; the trees shed their travails for a green spectacle; the sun beats down on crisp, yellow grass swaying in the warm wind; the skies darken and the days longer, colder as the land shifts into a dream-like, white, glittering world of snow and ice. And yet, these good feelings pulsing away within this hear, these good feelings imbuing the soul in a manner never dreamt of or expected still remain. And so, these will last through Time. These can be counted on. These will not abandon. They will not abuse, judge, misunderstand, isolate, hurt, or destroy. No. No, they will grow and flourish, filling every crack, every gaping hole, every missing feeling, and wash away all the bad that once plagued, marked, bound, and restricted. This is the name of beauty, strength, and so much more, and it shall be worn as a badge with pride, for this soul is no longer bound, hurt, and abused. What once was for the entirety of this soul’s life is no more, not even a memory.

The nightmares fade, the darkness fades. The poison is purged. And they will not return, for now, there is something truly special lying in this heart and in this soul. It beats ever softly, warmly, and ready to stand and fight all ills that come to snuff out this light I now bear in my breast. And this is the name of hope, and it is here to stay permanently.