when you knew me

You knew me when I was afraid of the world
Clinging onto you like a life raft
I held on tightly because I had no idea how to swim
Unsure of my own self
Floundering on my own two feet
I did not know which way to go
Or even how to begin to take that first step
You saw me in my darkest moments
Scenes I wish not to repeat
We stood alongside one another for as long as we could
And then we both knew we had to part ways
Even though I struggled to say that final goodbye
I needed to discover who I am in this world
And you needed to fly
There are times that I wonder what it would be like if you saw me now
Would you recognize the women in front of you
No longer timid and afraid, but firmly standing on her own two feet
I know we will never have another conversation
Our worlds are to far apart from one another
But the memories of our times together are held deeply in my heart
The good and the not so beautiful
You held me when I needed desperately to be held
Sheltering me from the world
Giving me time to pull myself together
And you pushed me when you knew I was ready
You weren't there to watch me fly
But it was you who helped me find the initial courage to try