Each day I arrive here
Look around
and notice it feels less like home.
Remember laughter,
feel their dreaming,
it’s all still here,
but where are my desires leading?
Could this all be coming to a close?
Are talent, skills, and luck
coalescing into
something new?
for Tai
.
You’ve always been a mountain climber.
Sometimes climbing means tumbling to the valleys.
Sometimes it means diving into sparkling mountain lakes
and becoming entangled with weeds
that pull you down.
Who knew you could drown while climbing?
You’ve always been a mountain climber.
Sometimes every part of you aches for a break,
longs for the plateau.
Rest.
But you keep climbing,
because sometimes, when you stand on the summit,
see the world laid out before you
a carpet of overcoming,
you see all the opportunity;
you see you can fly.
How do you find
the magical opportunity that transforms you?
How do you find
the courage to release your words
trust your ideas
show your vision.
How do you find
those places, waiting for you?
“My battery is low
and it’s getting dark.” Weep
for my silent voice.
Opportunity,
roved beyond expectation.
.
.
Today, the Mars Rover Opportunity has been declared dead. It was meant to function for 90 days, and instead, worked for 15 years and sent amazing data about Mars’s hydrography. It was recently caught in a dust storm that covered its solar panels. In some future time, will someone clean the dust off this strange relic, and Opportunity will call to NASA again? Until then, Sleep well, Opportunity. More info here.
“No” is not always
a negative thing.
.
Sometimes it is
a sweet relief.
.
Sometimes “yes”
brings too much to do,
too much responsibility
too much accountability.
.
Sometimes “no”
breathes a melancholy sigh.
Thankfulness.
This is not the time.
There is something new in the air
A faint scent of possibility
that wafts past unexpectedly.
There is something making me
wonder about continuity
and what’s coming to be.
There are worlds beyond your doors
and opportunities reaching out to you.
“Future” is such a big word,
and so is “college” if no one has been before.
But you have just as much right
to take those chances, as any one else.
Don’t doubt the power of your ability.
If you choose to do it,
are willing to put in the work,
you can do it:
break down stereotypes,
forge new ground,
accomplish something beyond
what judgmental people
think is all you can be.
What’s your dream? Fight for it.
When things seem impossible
it is a wondrous thing to have someone
willing to bat for you.
Stand up and be responsible
for giving you opportunity for a home run
get you what’s your due.
There are possibilities in front of you
Opportunities unbounded
By anything
but your determination.
Nothing will happen if you attempt nothing
But something can happen if you do some
Thing–
Any
Thing–
To embrace what might be
Possible.
Shawn L. Bird 