cou[rage] for the r[love]ution

It was my turn. Shivering slightly as I opened the door, I stepped out onto the freezing porch. Snow and ice crunched under my feet with every step I took towards the burning candle. The candle burned brightly in the starless night, a beacon in the dark. I stood in front of the flame and unfolded the paper that was in my hand for the last time. Taking a breath, I put the paper in the flame and watched closely as the words written on the page began to ignite and burn. Slowly, curling, the paper smouldered and grew smaller as the flame consuming it grew larger and brighter. I could smell acrid smoke filling the air around me, and I took a deep breath of fumes and cold air. Exhaling, I imagined the smoke leaving my lungs like the words on the paper leaving my pen. I was rid of them. Letting go. They no longer belonged to me but were now a part of the wind, the sky. 

I dropped the paper on the plate underneath the candle and stood in silence as the rest of it burned to ash. Once the last bit was consumed by the flame, I turned around and walked back inside, letting the words fall from me like ash in the wind. I was rid of it. I was letting go.