A Love Letter from my Body
Image by Kate Love
By Kate Love
All of the Gifts That I Give to You
I know that I’m not perfect.
I’ve got too many flaws to count.
If you look at me closely you will see your life written across me. Isn’t that a beautiful thing?
There are so many gifts that I have given you.
SEE
I have given you the gift of sight.
You have seen towering mountains, arching rainbows and cascading waterfalls.
You have seen a dolphin jumping over your kayak. The tips of the Himalayas on the rooftop of the world. A field of wildflowers spread out all around you.
You have watched your family grow. Your friends reach out to you. A lover with desire in his eyes.
You have seen smiles.
You have seen.
HEAR
I have given you the gift of hearing.
You have heard a symphony orchestra, thudding drumbeats and sweet serenades.
You have heard a lion roaring outside your safari tent. The birdsong in the morning waking you with their chorus. The squeak of white sand as you walk on a tropical beach.
You have heard a whispered I love you. The touching stories of those you meet. A call across the street from a friend.
You have heard laughter.
You have heard.
TASTE
I have given you the gift of taste.
You have tasted strawberries and cream, a freshly picked mango and salty caramel.
You have tasted creamy coconut ice cream made from the tree. Mushrooms cooked over an open fire in the forest. You have savoured chocolate melting in your mouth.
You have tasted salty spray from the sea. A kiss on the lips from your lover. The burst of a fresh wild blueberry.
You have tasted sweetness.
You have tasted.
SMELL
I have given you the gift of smell.
You have smelled the grass after the rain, a newly opened rose and the scented perfume of jasmine.
You have smelled frangipani in bunches above your head. The comfort of a cup of tea brought to you snuggled in bed. The familiarity of home that becomes your safe haven.
You have smelled your lover lying next to you in bed. The mossy rocks of a rainforest. Your own body wrapped in a sleeping bag.
You have smelt flowers blooming.
You have smelt.
TOUCH
I have given you the gift of touch.
You have touched sparkling crystals, rough tree bark and pebbles smoothed by the sea.
You have felt arms embracing you filled with love. The feel of paddleboarding over a coral reef in the sunshine. Jumping from a bridge into a freezing glacial blue pool.
You have felt the sensual touch of love. Massaging hands floating over your skin. The whip of wind on a mountaintop.
You have touched the sea.
You have touched.
All of these gifts I have given to you.
I am not perfect.
But I give you something better than that. I give you a way to be here. To experience the wonders of the world.
I give you yourself.
I am beautiful.
You are beautiful.
Words by Kate Love
