The Embrace

The embrace begins with arms opening,
extending
and offering.

The embrace continues,
as you enter into
beckoning arms.

The embrace is maintained through
merging and melding
in the exquisite space.

The embrace is released
when the body is still
and the heart is sound.

Yet lingers
as a felt impression
nourishing and sustaining.

My T sent me this poem by email one day back in May, with just an 'I thought you might like this poem'. I got really quite upset because I couldn't see what she meant by it. I couldn't believe that she would be offering this to me. It was before we had started to hug or really use touch or sit close or anything and I thought she was dangling what she knew I wanted and needed in front of me, trying to bait me almost.

When I spoke to her about it she said that she thought I would like it because for her it symbolises the therapeutic relationship. I just couldn't get my head around why she would want to tease me like this, because I was certain that she wouldn't want to touch me or hug me or get close to me emotionally or psychologically. I just couldn't see it.

I remembered this poem today and dug it out of my emails. I see now that she has held her arms out wide for nearly 8 months and I have slowly been inching my way into them. Her arms are still open and I can see that now. I can see what I think she wanted me to see in this poem and I can believe that she wants to be there for me in this way. That's pretty amazing progress I think.