Life Lessons: What I've Learned Thus Far.

Recently I've struggled to have enough coherent thought for a complete blogpost. Between finishing my last tour as a University Ambassador, moving out of my apartment and in with my parents, saying "see you soon" (my more optimistic version of goodbye) to too many friends, and helping my soulmate/roomie/best friend move to Louisville, my emotions have resembled a roller coaster and my thoughts have been more than disorganized. However chaotic it has been, though, I've learned a lot about myself and the wonderful people I've had the pleasure of surrounding myself with. It's difficult to put into words what I've learned from these experiences, but thankfully I don't have to, as it's already been done. During my move I pulled a few sheets of paper out from behind my bookcase and discovered the following poem printed on them. I laugh at the irony, finding the perfect poem about life lessons as I reach such a turning point in my own life. Veronica A. Shoffstall poetically puts into words the lessons I've learned and the emotions I've been feeling over the past few weeks much better than I ever could. Enjoy.

After a while you learn...

Veronica A. Shoffstall, 1971.

After some time you learn the difference, 

The subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning,

And company doesn't always mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts,

And presents aren't promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats,

With your head up and your eyes ahead,

With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.

And you learn to build all your roads on today,

Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans, 

And futures have a way of falling down mid-flight.

After a while you learn,

That even the sun burns if you get too much,

And learn that it doesn't matter how much you do care about, 

Some people simply don't care at all.

And you accept that it doesn't matter how good a person is,

She will hurt you once in a while,

And you need to forgive her for that.

You learn that talking can relieve emotional pain.

You discover that it takes several years to build a relationship based on confidence,

And just a few seconds to destroy it.

And that you can do something just in an instant,

And which you will regret for the rest of your life.

You learn that the true friendships,

Continue to grow even from miles away.

And that what matters isn't what you have in your life,

But who you have in your life.

And that good friends are the family,

Which allows us to choose.

You learn that we don't have to switch our friends,

If we understand that friends can also change.

You realize that you are your best friend,

And that you can do anything, or nothing,

And have good moments together.

You discover that the people you most care about in your life,

Are taken from you so quickly,

So we must always leave the people we care about with lovely words,

It may be the last time we see them.

You learn that the circumstances and the environment have influence upon us,

But we are responsible for ourselves.

You start to learn that you should not compare yourself with others,

But with the best you can be.

You discover that it takes a long time to become to the person you wish to be,

And that the time is short.

You learn that it doesn't matter where you have reached,

But where you are going.

But if you don't know where you are going,

Anywhere will do.

You learn that either you control your acts,

Or they shall control you.

And that to be flexible doesn't mean to be weak or not to have personality,

Because it doesn't matter how delicate and fragile the situation is,

There are always two sides.

You learn that heroes are those are those who did what was necessary to be done,

Facing the consequences.

You learn that patience demands a lot of practice.

You discover that sometimes,

The person you most expect to be kicked by when you fall,

Is one of the few who will help you to stand up.

You learn that maturity has more to do with the kinds of experiences you have,

And what you learned from them,

Than how many birthdays you've celebrated.

You learn that there are more of your parents inside you than you thought.

You learn that we should never tell a child her dreams are silly,

Very few things are so humiliating,

And it would be a tragedy if she believed in it.

You learn that when you are angry,

You have the right to be angry,

But this doesn't give you the right to be cruel.

You discover that only because someone doesn't love you the way you would like her to,

It doesn't mean that this person doesn't love you the most she can,

Because there are people who love us,

But just don't know how to show or live that. 

You learn that sometimes it isn't enough to be forgiven by someone,

Sometimes you have to learn how to forgive yourself.

You learn that with the same harshness you judge,

Someday you will be condemned.

You learn that it doesn't matter in how many pieces your heart has been broken,

The world doesn't stop for you to fix it.

You learn that time isn't something you can turn back,

Therefore you must 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.

You really are strong.

And you can go farther than you thought you could go.

And that life really has a value.

And you have value within the life.

And that our gifts are betrayers,

And make us lose

The good we would conquer,

If it wasn't for the fear of trying.