I STAND BEFORE YOU A WOMAN,
AT A POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE
I CAN STAND BACK AND LOOK AT WHERE I'VE BEEN,
I SEE WHERE I AM NOW,
AND I PAUSE TO CONSIDER WHERE I AM GOING.
MY EXPERIENCES MAKE ME WHO I AM,
SOME GOOD, OTHERS NOT SO GOOD
BUT ALL NEEDED.
IN THIS,
THIS GAME WE CALL LIFE,
I KNOW NOT THE RULES NOR THE LENGTH
OF THE GAME,
YET I AM A PLAYER.
A WILLING PARTICIPANT TRYING TO DO ALL I CAN,
BE ALL I CAN.
THE STRUGGLES THOUGH DIFFICULT,
SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING,
MAKE ME STRONGER.
WITH NO DOUBT IN MY MIND.
I STAND HERE A WOMAN
STRONG IN THE KNOWLEDGE,
THAT I HAVE GATHERED THROUGH THE YEARS.
I CONTINUE ON,
STUMBLING LIKE A CHILD,
AS I MAKE MY WAY.
SOMETIMES ONE STEP FORWARD AND TWO STEPS BACK.
KNOW THIS,
THOSE WHO COME BEFORE ME,
I AM NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH.
MY EMOTIONS RUN TOO DEEP,
MY FEELINGS HELP IN BRINGING A SOLIDNESS
THAT IS ME.
I GATHER STRENGTH FROM THE CHAOS
I LIVE THROUGH.
I FIND HOPE IN THE HOPELESS SITUATIONS
I AM FACED WITH.
I SEE THEM AS BUILDING BLOCKS,
I MUST ACQUIRE ALONG THE WAY.
GIVE TO ME THAT WHICH IS MINE,
A RESPECT,
FORGED IN THE PAINS OF MY PAST.
GIVEN BIRTH IN MY PRESENT,
AND A WELCOME COMPANION IN MY FUTURE.
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