David Whyte on Arriving

From Cleave by David Whyte

We were born saying goodbye
to what we love,
we were born
in a beautiful reluctance
to be here,
not quite ready
to breathe in this new world,
we are here and we are almost not,
we are present while still not
wanting to admit we have arrived.

I love this poem because it so perfectly encapsulates how surprising it is to be alive.