“A poem is the very image of life expressed in its eternal truth.”
Percy Bysshe Shelley

Friday, February 15, 2013

The Will to Renew


It surprises me.
Faced with disheartening odds,
one can choose to smile.

The human spirit
stuns with its resolute will
to keep marching on.

The new beginnings,
fool’s errand or found wisdom,
will keep arriving.

9 comments:

Travelogue for the Universe said...

Keep smiling Judy! I was surprised when I had to ask the question of clients, "Are you satisfied w/life? Are you happy?" They are required questions. I thought I knew the answer when someone is so disabled. Often times they were happy and were more grounded than me. That is how I learned not to be so afraid of disability. Best wishes, mary

Muffie said...

Judy, I love the idea of determination which this poem expresses. I know there are days when smiles are hard to come by, and the spirit sags. Then, a little nudge will remind me that I must continue to move forward. Thanks for the reminder!
Peace,
Muff

Karen said...

Reminds me of one of my favouite quotes. “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln

Gail said...

HI - beautiful post that speaks to the strength of the human spirit and its will to overcome adversity. You inspire me.
Love Gail
peace.....

Robert Parker said...

Beautiful as always! Well said! Heart-warmingly said. Preach on!

I too regularly collide with dissonances between my current state and typical English expressions. "Marching on," for example. I used to do a lot of that. Even did it in a Presidential inauguration. Now, with a walker? In a chair? Eh... not so much.

Nonetheless: March on, we do. In the words of the old hymn, "Our truth is marching on." And so it does, and so it ever will. Thanks, in part, to kind and spot-on authors like you.

Judy said...

Mary, part of what enables me to keep smiling is my interaction with my MS buddies online.

Muff, determination is practically my middle name, even when I sometimes might be better off raising the white flag. And, I have plenty of those moments when my spirits sag. My writing, as I have said before, is sometimes my way of giving myself pep talks.

Karen, Abe was absolutely right.

Gail, I am humbled that I inspire you in any way.

Robert, preach on, hmm. Given that I am the daughter of two ministers and overfilled my quota of (the receipt) preaching, I am not sure that preaching is something I wish to do. Maybe destiny has marked me, though, despite my intentions. Hopefully, it is nonintrusive. In any case, I am glad you found the poem heart-warming.

Judy said...

Blogger is not letting me alter my comment. Robert, I meant the receipt of preaching.

Ms. CrankyPants said...

This is beautiful! Thank you.

Judy said...

Thanks, CP.