Love that was easy
without high expectations;
Free to be themselves

#humpdayhaiku

And if you’re following along, here are the previous haiku in the story:

Who would’ve thought that
a walk down a long driveway
would change her life so.

Nervous yet hopeful.
She knew she was on her own.
She fought through the fear.

Hour by hour,
day by day, she began her
“journey back to me”

Strong on the inside 
Outer strength slowly building
She could not be stopped 

All the while, she met 
the most amazing people 
and discovered love 

Love was different.
It took many forms, and she 
found what was missing. 

Love was not about
the one and only; it was
finding her own peace.

She saw the light through
the darkness and finally
she was free to be.

Dancing in a barn
He stopped her dead in her tracks
His blue eyes stared back 

She thought nothing of
the encounter; and yet could
not help but wonder.

Took her by surprise
when he looked into her eyes
with love she’d not seen

At first she was blind
Maybe she refused to see
Love, hard to ignore

Yet obstacles and
consequences were just too
much for her to bear

What was the story
behind those eyes, and why did
they pierce her soul so?

Tucked back in her mind,
her thoughts and wonder remained.
What did it all mean?

Little by little
She would let herself give in
Cautious, yet open

What were these feelings;
And, why, so complicated?
This won’t be easy.

Despite temptation,
the boundaries would remain.
They would have to wait.

While they ignored it,
others saw what they did not
before it was clear.

While the others talked
they chose discretion, though they
tested boundaries.

She went on with life,
adventurous and open,
meeting new people.

Something was missing.
The others; they just didn’t
keep her attention.

He kept her smiling
with a joke or a quick jab, 
knowing what to say.

He opened up and
slowly revealed his story;
She would just listen.

In return, she shared
parts of her own story; and
they each understood.

Connected by strength, 
they’d accept the good, bad and 
that which was ahead.

Stories created.
Despite the hypocrisy,
truth gave them freedom.

They chose the high road
for the beautiful view and 
complete peace of mind.

Eventually,
they were free to step forward
and test the waters.

They jumped in feet first,
stopping, at times, to just breathe.
But forward, they moved.

They never looked back.
Realizing, for the first time,
what they had was real.