Comes the Dawn

After a while you learn the difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
and you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't mean security,
and you understand that lives aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises,
and you begin to accept your defeats,
with your head held high and your eyes open,
with the grace of a woman and not the grief of a child.

You learn to build your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain
for plans, and futures have a way of falling
down in midnight.

After a while you learn that even
sunshine hurts if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate
your own soul, instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure
that you really are strong
and you do have worth
and you learn and learn
and you learn.

By Jim Davis

I choose today to free my soul of greed, anger and jealousy. I forgive those who have done me wrong... and I am open to anything the universe has to offer me.