Welcome to Cozy Poetry Corner by Debra A Winter (Richter)

(There are seasons in life when we forget who we are. We get buried under routine, responsibility, exhaustion, and the quiet ache of feeling unseen. This poem came from a moment when I decided to take one small step toward myself again — and that step became the beginning of healing. If you’re in a place where you feel lost, tired, or unsure of your worth, I hope these words remind you that renewal can begin with the smallest act of courage.)

“A New Beginning”

Freedom of tomorrow begins again today.

Life had worn me thin, I surely can say.

So I gathered my courage and set it free,

And felt myself moving again, like a wandering bee.

I stepped beyond the borders of my safety zone—

Not for ice cream, not for fun, not for show.

But back to a time I could barely recall,

A time when my children were little and life felt whole.

I walked into a beauty salon for the first time in years,

Got my hair trimmed and styled, brushed away old fears.

I wanted to surprise my husband, though I wasn’t sure he’d see

That this wasn’t just a haircut—this was me finding me.

I loved the way I looked, felt lighter somehow.

Bought new earrings too—imagine that, wow.

It was time for a change, time to set my soul free,

To remember that Jesus still walks beside me.

I stopped feeling like the caboose on the last lonely train,

Stopped letting old shadows whisper their pain.

I promised myself I’d never return to that place—

The one where hope felt distant and tears filled my face.

And slowly, gently, the world came alive again:

Birdsong in the trees, flowers rising in spring,

Sunlight warming my spirit, moonlight calming my night,

Fireflies dancing like tiny lanterns of light.

I looked in the mirror and didn’t ask why—

Maybe because the tears had finally run dry.

There was room now for wonder, for breathing, for grace,

For gathering the pieces that had fallen out of place.

One by one, I fit them back where they belong.

No rushing, no running, no feeling wrong.

Just steady steps forward, a heart learning to soar—

And the quiet knowing: I don’t need to walk out that door.

Author’s Note (for readers who need hope):

If you’re reading this and you’ve been feeling lost, tired, or invisible, please hear this: you are not alone, and you are not finished. Sometimes healing begins with one small act of courage — a haircut, a walk outside, a moment of choosing yourself again. You deserve joy. You deserve peace. You deserve to feel like you again. May this poem remind you that even after the hardest seasons, your story can begin anew.