What Do I Call Her?

What do I call her?
Grief, anger, sadness, frustration, defeat
How will I know her name when she meets me at the threshold of who I have been and who I wish to become?
Will she recognize me from last we met?
Will she embrace me as a friend, or remain at arms length?
So many times I have turned my back on her
So many times I have shut the door, retreating into the depths of my inner sanctuary
But today I see her, and I honor her presence
I invite her in to rest
For I know that she is just as weary as I
Instead of asking for her name, I tell her mine
I tell her who I am becoming and she listens, patiently
I tell her all I have accomplished
All of the love, kindness, compassion, and honesty I have given to myself since the last time our paths crossed
And she nods her head in recognition
I do not need to ask her name, for she is a part of me
Like the seasons, or the fire that burns within my heart and soul
I recognize her because she is all that I have released
All that I have let go of to become the woman I am today
She is more than just thought or emotion
She is a tangible being, a Goddess of Shadows and Starlight
As night falls it is time for her and I to say our goodbyes
I embrace her as we once again reach the threshold
I will never forget all you taught me
I whisper into her ear
As the night breeze comes to carry her, and my words, away
Into the darkness from which she came