written by Iqmal Handan / art by @artsyfifi

it was the morning of a rainy day that made me take off every cloth covering my skin,

i stripped myself nude, gently disconnecting the fabric touching my delicate complexion,
unveiling the very scars and uneven skin tone that i have always been insecure of since i was a
little kid.

i allowed these pair of eyes to look in the mirror at the naked soul of a boy whoÔÇÖs just about to
embrace his sense of being.

my feet deeply connected to the ground, taking hold of the frozen marble tiles, wholeheartedly
accepting the ambience of todayÔÇÖs atmosphere.

i wanted change, i promised myself change and care.

i think i finally deserve to be loved the way i give love, now that iÔÇÖm at a new age.
a new age of sensibility and responsibility.

another chance of finding out what maturity is all about.

i stepped into the shower, consenting the GodÔÇÖs gift of water to increase the warmth of my flesh
and bones, graciously moving through my veins, mapping every indication of my anatomy with
the help of my fingers running through the curves of my body.
i allowed the Gift to strip myself from all possible hard feelings i bottled up in my life.

i gave it permission to clear myself off from every insecurity I had developed over the years.

i demanded the Gift to strip myself from every hatred i had for myself.
to forgive is the fundamental essence of living a life worth remembering.

from today onwards, my vulnerability demands its meaning.