No one ever stays the same

And I’m no exception;

Constantly growing,

Changing, living, breathing.

 

Every year a little older, wiser

No longer a child,

Maturity has bloomed from a

Small seed to a beautiful flower

 

The contention in the world

Causing me to reflect,

Look around, listen

To the conflicting swirl of opinions;

Everyone not taking time to listen,

Thinking their opinion is superior.

Choosing to argue rather than

Listen and accept.

 

I’ve decided to listen respectfully,

While forming opinions of my own,

When it comes down to it,

Deciding for myself

Who I really am.

 

No one else can tell me

How to think,

How to feel

What to do,

Who to be.

 

Feeling pulled left and right

With the tide of opinions,

People screaming to be heard,

Wanting to make their voices known,

How to stand out in a crowd of so many?

A seemingly impossible task.

 

They try to be someone else,

If only to fit in,

Thinking that then they will be happy,

They get sucked into the whirlpool,

Choosing to drown their originality.

 

I’ve decided to be myself,

No matter what the cost,

And not compromise my standards,

Thoughts, feelings, beliefs,

For others.

 

I may be different,

But different is a good thing,

Not something to be ashamed of,

What makes you stand apart from those in the whirlpool

Is what makes you you.

 

Life is a ship sailing along the ocean,

I am steering my life,

Taking command of the choices before me,

The astonishing new horizon

Laid out before me,

The glow of the sunrise

Overpowering all.

 

Constantly striving to be better,

To learn more,

The person I want to become

Just beyond the horizon.

 

When I see the sunrise,

I am reminded

Why I make the choices I do,

To listen and respect

The ocean of opinions

Swirling around me,

While forming my own

As the sun rises and sets

And the beauty of the Earth

Stretches out before me.