Can you endure all that, and still be good, and pure?

Can you bear the suffering and not crumble into meanness and petty cruelty?

Or can you become more and crack yourself wide, wide open?

That's the true test of the warrior.

It's not just the battle, the wounds and scars...
It's how your heart emerges, from all of it.

When your personhood is scalded away one howling layer at a time,

What remains? Is it twisted and bent?

Or is it burned and beautiful? Do those scars shine and glisten?

Are you seared into sparkling goodness, and love?

It's how you drag yourself through and stumble
Gracelessly onward,

One leaden, exhausted step after another. . .
On faith. . .on faith. . .and on faith.

———————

For those of you who know pain... who have struggled endlessly...
who have lost hope, but somehow keep going,

There is a place of healing: within you.

You have the power to heal yourself.

I can help you find your way, the way I found mine.

Thetruewarriorspath@gmail.com