When my boundaries feel particularly thin
Red Bear comes to protect me
And so no one can get close enough to touch me
And no one can hurt me.
At these times I am alone within my own universe,
Without family… without lovers… without love.
Red Bear is protecting me too much,
And so I call him aside to convince him
That not everyone wants to do me harm.
It’s okay and even necessary
To risk letting the wall down a little,
To be raw and vulnerable,
To let a stranger hug me
To maybe even cry.
And it is so very important for me to know
I have control over what protects me.
This is my journey
— Nate Long “Owl”
Acrylic paint on 2″ stone