Instructions Before Visiting Earth

Before you were born,
you were given instructions.
Not rules to follow,
but reminders for when you forget.

You will arrive crying,
gasping for air,
shocked by the brightness
and weight of the world.

This is normal.
The body you inhabit
is borrowed from earth.
Treat it with reverence.

You will feel everything intensely—
joy that splits you open,
sorrow that brings you to your knees.
Both are sacred. Both will pass.

Remember: you are not here to be perfect.
You are here to be human.
To make spectacular mistakes.
To learn the hard way that love is all that matters.

When it's time to leave
(and you'll know when it's time),
return your body gently.
It was never yours to keep.

Your soul remains perfectly safe,
like a child watching storm clouds
through a window,
amazed by the thunder.