Relatable Adversity
He doesn’t ask what’s wrong;
he asks what I need.
The sunrise doesn’t wake me.
He says, “Good morning, beautiful.”
He doesn’t ignore what needs to be done.
He does what he needs to do.
He doesn’t complain.
He quietly seeks solutions.
I never worry about where he is.
All I know is that if I fall,
he will catch me.
What Love Is
Challenged or struck with adversity,
unable to envision a way out,
diving deep,
feeling alone or afraid.
Ascend for air.
Alternatives exist.
Stop trying to convince yourself
that you are
what you are not.
Unbroken
Do not contradict what you claim to have.
Faith
I didn’t ask for this to happen.
And I wouldn’t have.
Now that it’s over, I am grateful.
It’s the only way I could have learned.
It was the only way to let go.
Ready for the Next Round
I wasn’t sure we would reach forever.
I found we didn’t have enough to go the distance.
It was worth the try or we would never have known.
Nonetheless, we made beautiful memories that
have outlasted us.
History
I want to help you regain something you lost.
I can tell you haven’t been able to find it.
Look inside; it’s buried deep beneath the clutter.
Quietly sit down, tell yourself the truth, and then you will find it.
Peace
Hurt before
still stings.
Next person will feel it
the same as me.
Slow to love,
not ready to trust.
Could be the end
before it begins.
Reminders have value.
They make you think.
I’m not scared of trying,
only jumping in.
Second Chances
It wasn’t a loss.
Call it a lesson.
Know the difference,
and respect the opportunity
to begin again.
Half Full
Behind the smiles, there is pain.
Behind the pain, there were smiles.
Layers
They come to you for help,
for answers and ideas.
When solutions are needed,
they know they have your ear.
Of all the places they could have gone
and people they could see,
they chose to bare their soul to one they trust.
You Inspire Them
I’m not quiet because I have nothing to say.
I could say plenty.
But I learned to exercise self-control
and not engage in anything that lets me win that moment
but lose in the long run.
I’m not quiet because I don’t know much.
I’ve lived long enough to learn many lessons.
I realized I don’t have to prove anything to anyone
other than myself.
I’m not quiet because I didn’t see what you did.
I’m not really surprised.
I knew that was your character
all along.
Thankful for the Lessons
I used to be afraid
of uncomfortable moments.
I’d avoid anything or anyone
I didn’t trust.
Locked inside my emotional prison,
I thought I was safe
merely existing,
no longer living,
isolated with fear
until I released it.
Freedom from Fear
Subtle signs were there in plain sight for you to see.
You chose to ignore reality
until there was nothing left to accept but the truth.
Finally
When it hurts,
it’s my soul.
When I’m happy,
it’s my soul.
When I know,
it’s my soul.
When I dance,
it’s my soul.
When I die,
my soul’s gone home.
The Gift
I love peeking out the window
to see what’s coming next.
Sometimes I can’t tell,
but that’s okay.
It’s an invigorating reminder
that nothing stays the same.
A change will come,
as life is certain to change you.
Get ready.
Seasons
You don’t understand why it took so long.
You didn’t listen.
Everything had to fall apart
just to get your attention.
Avalanche
I was told to be quiet,
let it go,
no need to give your opinion.
It doesn’t matter.
I was being taught
not to think, speak about, or notice where change is needed,
to accept what is,
whether I agree or not.
Now I am an independent thinker,
not easily influenced.
I do what I feel
and feel everything I do.
I decided who I would be.
The Disruptor
A few quick words rolling off the tongue
can change your life forever.
But a smile and nod without a word
can make it all flow better.
Sweet Silence
I used to believe I needed others to believe in my dream.
Then I realized I was the only one who needed to see it.
Solely for Me
When something is
taken away,
we tend to reach for something
to take its place.
Healing
Emotions that damage,
written as poetry,
twisted rope,
unyielding knots
bound by malignant history,
painful words nailed to your soul.
Freedom comes
when you release your hold.
Unbound
They are making you stronger,
inspiring you to push through,
challenging your work ethic.
They are giving you the vision
to want more,
be more,
care more,
encourage more,
learn more,
and believe more.
They are teaching you
to respect your vision
and passion,
as without it,
you would be like them.
Doubters
When no one is available for you in times of difficulty,
use the solitude to reflect and regroup.
Unite with your inner peace
before taking the next step.
Self-Care
The choice to dream does not exist for some.
And others have let their dreams fade or perish.
Dream with purpose
and with as much imagination as you can create.
&nbs
p; The Beginning of a Vision
If you want to feel joy as the sun rises,
be enveloped by peace when it sets,
crave the next moment and the next,
and know what love is.
I’m Here
When you can help someone in need,
an internal debate isn’t necessary.
Dare to be your authentic self.
Sincerity
It takes me to a better place;
I never know where that will be.
It runs so deep through my soul;
it empties everything unwanted from me.
Music
You didn’t know how strong you were
until the storm passed.
It was brutal,
yet you prevailed.
Conquered
You thought you caused
irrevocable pain.
Instead,
you gave me the reason
to find my strength.
Empowerment
Pay attention to the moments you share with your family and friends.
One day those moments will be more significant than you ever imagined.
The Best
I am excited about life.
Ultimately, it will come to an end.
Until then, I’m going to enjoy every bit of it,
learn as much as my mind can handle,
and explore all that moves me.
Loving the Journey
Instead of waiting for it to give you something,
give it everything you have
the best way you know how
and see what happens.
Life
Don’t go to war with yourself.
Life is meant to be peaceful.
White Flag
You aren’t aware
of how people interrupt the misfortune
headed in your direction.
It didn’t reach you,
and you may never know the damage
it could have done.
Barriers
Although they never knew of his painful past,
he made sure the thing they remembered about him
was what they saw first and last.
His Smile
It can ease the hurt,
begin to repair damage,
restore relationships,
rebuild trust,
and exhibit the acceptance of responsibility.
It can work.
A Meaningful Apology
Go anywhere you’ve ever dreamed.
See what you never thought possible.
Discover the truth about things you would never have access to.
Expand your imagination beyond boundaries.
Learn about a world other than your own.
Become as powerful as you want.
One Page at a Time
You may not understand the truth behind the meaning,
sacrifices made,
or have cause to celebrate the history.
Still, they bring us together.
Traditions
To the contrary, it doesn’t divide us.
We do that.
It is there to bring us together
in teachable moments.
To understand and learn acceptance of things
that are different from us.
It will ultimately help us accept the attributes
we don’t appreciate about ourselves.
Diversity
Situations occur that expose what you refuse to believe.
Sometimes they must play out so you can observe and learn.
Confirmation
You can’t miss them, but you can make a choice to ignore them.
They are there to protect you from your own decisions.
Warning Signs
When people reveal a side of them
disruptive to your spirit,
pay attention to what it does to you.
Your spirit knows.
Right from Wrong
When you find yourself
passionately craving more,
plant seeds and nurture them.
Harvest
When you are willing to accept that you already have everything you need,
when the feeling of appreciation is more profound and lasting,
when the little things matter,
you know.
How to Love Life
Taking notice of the good things that others do for you
or that happen throughout each day
allows you to enjoy life more than you imagined.
Feeding Your Soul
Trying to make family relationships work the way you want
may not be possible.
Finding the good in them is.
Innately Good
Toxic too.
When you lost value for life, I no longer knew you.
Tried to suffocate me with your poisonous fumes.
I learned that in my world
I don’t let negativity loom.
Leaving Toxicity
Make a contribution by
caring
feeling
teaching
sharing
giving.
You Are Able
Be careful of being dismissive.
If you don’t have a sincere appreciation
for the people in your life
or things you have now,
it should not bother you
if they are taken away
tomorrow.
Today
Be mindful of where you were,
where you are,
and where you are headed.
Pay attention to what you have gone through,
what you are going through,
and know you will encounter more.
Be humble enough to learn from life.
Lifelong Teacher
When it is generously and authentically given,
refrain from taking it for granted.
Protect it.
Return it.
Generate more of it.
Love
Abstain from seeking negativity,
or you will be successful in finding it.
Make it your preference to discover
the good in people, situations, and beautiful moments.
Discovery
Don’t hesitate to add to life’s moments and make them better.
A Willing Participant
There was a day
when you didn’t believe it was possible to make it through.
Someone gave you something
that helped change your perspective
about life
or someone
in a profound way.
You will never forget.
That One Day
You wanted to believe it was possible.
Only, the confidence to make it happen wasn’t there.
Negative thoughts that permeated your mind impaired you.
You almost gave up.
Then you remembered the words of encouragement
residing in your mind.
Retained for Difficult Moments
Today was challenging.
I wasn’t myself.
After being blindsided,
I couldn’t seem to gather my composure
and get back to being me.
You know, the way I let things go
and find the positive
in most situations.
Whatever it was that caused you to find a way
&n
bsp; to lift my spirit worked.
You Make Me Smile
Giving focus to negativity is instinctive.
Amend your focus to target positive behaviors and occurrences.
It will challenge you to appreciate more.
What you take in contributes to who you are.
Shaping You
All we need is the opportunity to be better.
With every waking day, we have it.
Make It Count
Pay attention to the behaviors that give you the best feeling and emulate them.
Over and Over Again
You thought it was going to last forever,
worried about the damage it would do.
It didn’t take long before time passed.
Everything reverted to
what you were used to.
Temporary
You may not consider how good your life is unless you are fighting to keep it.
Find the goodness that feeds your appreciation for life.
Understanding the Gift
The ability to see beauty in whatever your eyes meet
and discover the good in the things that are neglected by most
is the gift you choose to unwrap.
Delicate Perception
Consumed by darkness,
lost inside uncertainty,
He knelt and reignited the flame inside me
with two words.