The World And Me

Here is a poem I wrote in 2007. This knowledge is a culmination of quite a few years of struggling and working very hard to reach what I felt I should be.

*The world would say I can never be normal. I believe that normal is whatever I decide it is.
*The world says would call me a victim. I call myself a survivor.
*The world says I am weak when I fall. I say I am stronger when I get back up.
*The world says pain can never be a gift. I say it's one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given.
*The world says a wounded heart can never heal. I say a wounded heart knows how to love more fully.
*The world says I will forever live my life in fear. I say I am one of the most brave people I know.
*The world says that life is a dark, scary place. I am using my light to make it brighter.
*The world says that his is a dark, cold place to be in. But beautiful things come from the dark.
*The world says I don't have a chance. I say I have every chance in the world.
*The world defines failure as falling down. I define failure as staying down.
*The world says that to be able to love myself, I must get it from others first. But I believe that I must love myself to be able to receive it from others.
*The world defines forgiveness as letting go of the hurt. I define forgiveness as unconditionally loving the person who hurt you.
*The world believes in conditional love. I believe in unconditional love.
*The world believes in changing who you are to fit a certain set of standards. I believe in accepting me for me and creating my own set of standards.
*The world believes I deserve what I get. I believe I get what I deserve.
*The world believes in mastery of others. I believe in mastery of self.
*The world believes in creating war. I believe in creating love.
*The world believes that life is what it is. I believe that life is what I make it.
*The world believes in remaining wounded. I believe in healing and that recovery is possible.
*The world says that having strength is having power over people. I believe that real strength is being gentle.
*The world believes that perfection is having no pain, no problems, no wounds, no scars, no sorrows. I believe that excellence is working through the pain, working through the problems, healing the wounds, accepting the scars, and turning the sorrow in to joy.
*The world believes that there is no purpose to life. I believe in creating a purpose for life.
*The world sees life in black and white. I paint my life any color that I want it.
*The world believes that what you get makes a life. I believe that what you give makes a life.
*The world believes in control. I believe in influence.
*The world believes in sameness. I believe in greatness.
I wrote this poem on February 3, 2008 while on a peer mentor retreat. During this retreat I made some of my biggest chinks up and as a result this poem came to light. I read it while we were doing our processing, not intending it to be a peom. This has some of my biggest life lessons contained in it.