Resist

Resist the urge to be mean

to yourself. Love yourself.

Be yourself. Tell those voices

to be nice, and don’t think

twice about silencing sounds,

words, or comments that bring

you down. You are amazing.

You are great. You are different.

You are meant to be special.

You are all the world needs.

Resist the urge to be the same.

You are rare. Uniqueness must

remain. Feel alive and well.

You still have stories to tell.

Don’t give in to bad thoughts.

Resist. Time can’t be bought.

Being yourself can’t be taught.

in the way

As life goes on, things can get in the way.
There are roadblocks, people, problems
that slow us down. We can even get in our own
way. It is hard to say how it happens. It just
does. Sometimes, we can get stuck in the mud.
Sometimes, we choose hate over love. Stuff
can pile up, and life can become a pain.
Once we regain strength, all we have to do
is maintain. To fight through is to gain insight.
The odds may be against us, but we must
trust the process. We must do our best
when things get in the way. These strong
feelings of doubt will not stay. We must
not run away. We must solve the case
before our optimism becomes misplaced.
When life gets in the way, don’t give up
or give in. You will get over it. Look at
your life as a knife that will cut through
a dark night. Find light and hold on tight.

Shell Shock

The war is far from over. Each day
awakens another demon. To say
that life is a breeze must be a lie.
It is hard to stay positive when
you know, you too, will someday
die. All we can do is try to stay
sane. There is a war inside all
of our brains. There is some sun,
but mostly rain. Life can be fun
if we decide to run before father
time tucks us in. What we lose
in things is gained in wisdom.
When the dust settles, we will
see that past souls have risen.
The war is far from over, yet
the score is far from set. Bet
on yourself and don’t give up.
When feeling shell shocked, be
the rock that does not stop
staying on top. Win the battle
today. Strap on your saddle.
Ride closer to the finish line.
When the war is finally over,
our mission will be complete.
That’s when we will be okay.
That’s when we will feel peace.

Under Water

It’s been raining for 26 years straight.
I haven’t gotten tan since my life began.
Soaking wet, I had to learn to stay afloat.
I even built myself a boat. In my life,
I have seen friends, family, and strangers
encounter dangers only few understand.
I have seen some sink to the very bottom.
I never liked swimming, but it’s what I had
to do to keep living. I learned not to be
afraid to swim around before I sink down.
Some days, I’ll dive down to see buried
memories and under-water trees. The rain
never goes away as nature does its thing.
I am drenched, cold, and tired as I paddle
in place, creating ripples in time and space.
The water will rise higher, so I practice
holding my breath. I inhale first. I hope
for the best and prepare for the worst:
no air. I am under water, over my head,
but I am still alive, just extremely wet.


Over / Under

Many don’t understand how

to get over some things. Over

time, most dig underneath to feel

something deeper. We overvalue;

few truly understand the over-

arching message of needing re-dos:

do-overs. Those under the weather

are under the impression that it

doesn’t get better. Some are over

it, and that is an understatement.

Some feel the need to overpower

underachievers. Yet, those who run

hot will overheat. Under the sun,

life can become overwhelming.

Sleep under the stars and protect

your dream. When it’s all over,

our eyes close as the sun lowers.