Up and Over

Up and Over                                                9/3/2015

The future remains a dream

Shrouded in fog

A mystery yet to be explored

And a riddle

Yet to be solved.

But the past

Can be like a millstone

Hung around our necks

Making every step a labor

On our way to the end. 

A weight we drag behind us

Everywhere we go

Even when we smile

And even when we sleep.    

No matter how long we live

We barely scratch the surface

Never truly understanding

Until we look backwards

And it’s too late.

Holding back our hands

And closing off our hearts

For fear of rejection

And ridicule. 

But what we feared

Was nothing at all

And what we give up

Is greater than we know.   

Today is a mountain

That we must climb

Even while knowing

We have climbed it before

And will do so again.      

A battle that must be fought

And waged in our minds

Even though it seems pointless

And we are weary. 

It may seem fruitless

And it may seem a chore

But this is all we have

And all we can do. 

All can be lost

But while we live

There is always the hope

That we can climb it better

Today and tomorrow. 

We mark time

And celebrate its passage

In the same familiar ways  

Others have done before.

But our load can become a little lighter

If we climb with a cheerful heart

Even when it hurts

And we are alone. 

Cherishing every blessing   

And learning from every heartbreak

Absorbing every wisdom

From disappointment

And regret.

Our hearts can be broken

But they can also heal

Growing exponentially

From the inside out. 

The price is paid

And paid in full

With every time we get up

Unafraid and humble.

And the greatest gifts

We can never lose

Invisible but permanent

And far more valuable

Than diamonds or pearls.

Enduring every disappointment

And growing with time

Against every odd and obstacle

Of time, memory and space.