The Beauty of Being Broken

The beauty of being broken comes from within.
It fights, it punches, it won’t let go.
The beauty of being broken.

This man, guitar in hand.
He takes on the world, knowing what he wants.
This man, guitar in hand.
Has much to fear, falls more than once

The beauty of being broken comes from within.
It fights, it punches, it won’t let go
The beauty of being broken.

So this man, guitar in hand,
Attacks life with haste and determination.
Crossing lines and testing limits.
Using the lessons learned; gaining lessons earned.

The beauty of being broken comes from within.
It fights, it punches, it won’t let go.
The beauty of being broken.

Call it depth perception, call it hindsight
Look at this man, guitar in hand.
Brought back from the dead
A new person with a stronger force.

He fills me with joy,
This man, guitar in hand.
Puts that smile on my face because he has made it.
Proven his ability, his will, and his dreams.

So open your eyes, world.
See this man, guitar in hand.
Witness his success, witness his strength.
Witness the greatness of his destiny.

The beauty of being broken comes from within.
It fights, it punches, it won’t let go.
Until this man, guitar in hand,
Grew up to be healed;
No longer broken, but whole.

-- a gift for my brother

The Strength of a Woman

The strength of a woman
Is tested by her mistakes and down falls.
Then by her ability to correct them,
Guided by humility and grace.
This woman is you.

The strength of a woman
Is proven by her decisions.
Those times she says no when she wants to say yes,
Reprimands instead of comforts,
Remains steadfast though it is easier to give in.
This woman is you.

The strength of a woman
Is measured by her joy.
A smile for independence and accomplishment,
A hug for vulnerability and love,
A complete person filled with peace.
This woman is you.

The strength of a woman
Is challenged by her risks.
Traveling the world without fear.
Raising her children and trusting them.
Loving her spouse through all the difficulties.
This woman is you.

The strength of a woman
Is visible in her daughter.
A mother looks into her daughter’s eyes; her own blue eyes,
Fearing she may have failed,
Wondering if she said no too many times
Hoping peace follows her daughter,
Wanting her to take her own risks.
This woman is you.

The strength of a woman
Is learned from her mother.
Seeing the beauty that comes from self-worth.
Realizing happiness is built on confidence.
Discovering that respect is earned by our actions.
This woman is me.

-- a gift for my mother

Coffee Shop Conversations

We take our seats,
The drinks are poured;
An exchange of glances,
And then it begins.

You speak first,
Offering your opening statements.
Sometimes I listen, sometimes I don’t.
Still you say your words.

Then it is my turn.
I offer my voice, my opinions, my ideas.
Sometimes you listen, sometimes you don’t.
Nonetheless I say my words.

These coffee shop conversations.
We fought our sides, held our ground, walked away in anger,
But this is where we were built.
We discussed soccer plays, travel plans, college goals.
These coffee shop conversations.

This is where I found my best friend.
He taught me to be a good person, fight the good fight.
His words gave me strength, courage, hope.
His lessons led my way and did not falter.

Here is where I found my father.
A man of mistakes, but not many.
In his eyes, his pride for his family glows.
And I love him more than he will ever know.

These coffee shop conversations.
You speak first,
So that I can listen.

These coffee shop conversations.
You speak first,
So that I do not forget.

These coffee shop conversations.
You speak first,
So that, one day, your words will become my words.

-- a gift for my father

Half Smile

This doesn’t feel right
There is some part that is missing
Like half of my smile

Being here hurts
Because I don’t know where it’s going to lead
And I feel stuck

It is attached to my ankle
The hindrance that is this
And I want to break free

Yet I don’t
And I keep looking over my shoulder
Because I know I’m going the wrong way

So I silence these thoughts
Decide to be complacent and wait it out
Keep wearing that half smile