You can not choose the circumstance
that fights to keep you down,
but you can choose how you respond;
you can choose to be strong.
Whatever trauma shatters you,
Whatever hurts you feel,
The weakness is just temporary;
You have the strength to heal.
.
.
.
A fitting conclusion to yesterday’s poem, today’s piece reflects the message of Robb Nash and his band who played for the high schools of Salmon Arm today. I’m glad to part of Shuswap Rotary which supported Robb’s visit. Read more about Nash’s astonishing life story and inspirational work here: http://www.robbnash.com
Shawn L. Bird 
Your poetry is always so well written but this poems message is so spot on. Copies of this poem should be in every school, every doctor’s office and every public building.
Of course, the medical reality of mental illness takes the ability to choose away; regaining the ability to choose is a sign of wellness.
Yep. It really is about choices.
😉
Bingo! Nothing need keep anyone down. It’s all about choosing strength, in the end.
😉
🙂
Reblogged this on Juan's Poetry.
Sorry I can’t agree with the sentiment. Ok so in the long run it may be true but when going through it doesn’t help. I wrote a poem “I carry it carefully” on my blog. Just come through 4 months of soggy wet grey blanket cloud after a year or so of good mental health. Doesn’t matter how I try I just come out of it without a seeming rhyme or reason. Healing and strength does happen on many levels but only through weakness it seems when I give up trying. Perhaps I read this all wrong!
Read through the other comments for a little more on the details of where this one comes from. The presentation was sponsored by Mental Health associations with the goal of telling kids that they can decide every morning to make it through one more day, because, as you clearly know, eventually one of those days it is better. One of his many pithy remarks was “If you’re going through hell, keep walking!” i.e. don’t stop there. Accept that this is a horrible place, but keep putting one foot in front of the other, because eventually you will make it out the other side. No one says it’s easy, but sometimes it’s such promises that are the only thing that a depressed person can hold to in order not to be swept away by the darkness.
Yes
First of all great poem!
As for the meaning of it I cannot agree with what it says. evn the strongest person one day will fall and weakness takes control of one’s life. sometimes in life we try to be strong for a long time and we struggle against all odds but the day comes when strength exists no more.
The message of the Robb Nash Project is that there is always more strength than there is trauma, if you only choose to dig deep and find it for one more day. By choosing each day to not succumb to suicidal thoughts, to not cut, to not hurt someone else, each day one can choose strength.
Inspiration is a gift of yours I see….you have the strength to inspire. That’s doesn’t seem to be temporary. It seems to be here to stay. Uplifting positive piece….
Thank you.
My pleasure, your words mean something. I just wanted to say it….
I’m honoured.
So true, it often takes time, but strength and perseverance is the key,
and meds.
Don’t forget meds!
One needs them for heart trouble; one needs them for brain trouble.
Reblogged this on Marla Chalnick, PhD and commented:
I thought this poem speaks resilience in very few words! Hope it speaks to you!