At the start of each year, we are invited to think about what resolutions we should make for the new year. Should we learn something new? Experience something exotic? Be courageous and tell someone we loved them? Go somewhere we have never been or eat something we have never tried? Regardless of what it is, the new year brings about infinite possibilities and all you need is to maintain a willingness to seize the day and live life to the fullest. However, despite our best intentions, there is usually a degree of inertia when it comes to actually going through with something and we have a tendency to give up along the way. So have you picked yours for the year and are you willing to see it through to the last?

Resolution
Another year has been and gone,
we ask ourselves again,
what resolutions shall we try,
to uphold and maintain.

For every promise we have made,
a promise we would break,
and any goal that we commit,
we lazily forsake.

Perhaps we simply lose the drive,
the will to carry on,
and all our new year aims and plans,
we treat as if foregone.

But if we always let it slide,
then what would be the point,
of swearing that we will behave,
but always disappoint.

So maybe this year we’ll prevail,
and simple not allow,
another year of chances missed,
and further broken vows.

And maybe this year we will see,
the error of our ways,
and not repeat our tendency,
to act as such clichés.

And maybe this year we’ll try hard,
for everything, persist,
and not give up so easily,
pretend they don’t exist.

But human nature is as such,
and more we can’t expect,
though in the end, the outcome will,
reflect what we neglect!

The Serenity Prayer has been around since the 1930s and it contains a great mantra to live by. The message is quite simple and is essentially a prayer for tolerance, courage and wisdom. However, it is also much more than that. If we sat down and gave the words some thought, we would realize that it has a lot of thought-provoking depth and can easily be applied to every facet of our lives. It teaches us to be resolute in our beliefs, and be prepared to stand up and make a difference when needed. It reminds us that some things are not meant to be and we should appreciate them for what they are. But most importantly, it encourages us to recognize when we should go with the current and when we should fight against the tide. When we are in the middle of the action or when there is conflict involved, it can be difficult to see the bigger picture. Such are the moments when we most need the clarity espoused in this prayer.

Serenity
Lord, please grant us serenity,
in order to accept,
the things we simply cannot change,
the promises not kept.

For with each new day life will bring,
new challenges for us,
and often beyond our control,
we’re told we must adjust.

It’s truly a dynamic world,
where all things can occur,
but welcomed, not all changes are,
we like things how they were.

Or sometimes it is the reverse,
where things are tired and old,
but people are just too afraid,
to fight and break the mold.

So in those times, grant us the strength,
to change the things we can,
and never let impediments,
deter what we began.

For often we can get bogged down,
when complications rise,
and we are waylaid from our goals,
ensuring their demise.

But with a little courage, faith,
we all can see it through,
and know that we can realize,
whatever we pursue.

Yet more importantly we need,
the wisdom so to judge,
if it’s a mountain we can move,
or will it never budge.

For if, the difference, we can’t tell,
then it’s our time, we’ll waste,
and vain and futile, our attempts,
our efforts be misplaced.

A little patience, spare us please,
in dealing with these trials,
and with vexatious people who,
intend to irk and rile.

And silence this, our inner voice,
that urges us to kill,
or else we’ll never hope to gain,
serenity until…

As we grow older, our experiences make us wiser and more knowledgeable about the world. Yet, it can also make us wary, guarded and disillusioned with what life has to offer. An average adult carries an unquantifiable amount of emotional baggage with them, accrued from various pressures, worries, anxiety, fear and guilt which slow build up on a daily basis. So, in order to protect ourselves, we erect barriers and defence mechanisms to prevent others from getting too close. We may use humour to deflect attention and laughter to conceal our pain, but the end result is that we often avoid developing a genuine connection with people that is only fostered through open and honest communication. Notably, even babies can communicate quite effectively with their peers without a fully formed vocabulary. So why is it so complicated for us? Do we lose that ability over time or are we simply making it more complicated for ourselves than it really should be.

Communication

You barely tell me anything,
so how am I to know,
you always seem like you’re afraid,
to let emotions show.

I know that you’ve been taught to be,
so stoical and strong,
such that you cannot just admit,
when something’s going wrong.

You ought to know relationships,
are mainly about trust,
communication is the key,
to make it more robust.

So while it’s hard, why don’t you try,
to learn to lean on me,
you may find it unburdens you,
at least to some degree.

Expressing what you think and feel,
is really not so bad,
it’s part of sharing who we are,
it comforts us when sad.

For if we bottle all inside,
then at some point we’ll burst,
and all the pain that we will feel,
will be a whole lot worse.

So open up and let me in,
and share with me your life,
tell me of your greatest triumph,
and of your greatest strife.

Please let me empathize with you,
and help me understand,
and guide me to your point of view,
and show me where you stand.

And let me fill the empty void,
the loneliness within,
allow it just to wash away,
like it had never been.

For we must bare our hearts and souls,
the things we guard the most,
as that’s the price that must be paid,
in order to be close.

There are always things which we keep to ourselves. Things which we may be ashamed of or find embarrassing to tell as they may attract judgment or criticism from others. Alternatively, they may be things which we know will cause pain or distress to others and we ought to keep it to ourselves. Nonetheless, keeping secrets weighs on the soul and it is often liberating to share it with those we trust. However, can we really take the risk?

Secrets:
We bear our secrets like a cross,
and seldom do we share,
for when we tell another soul,
our hearts are then laid bare.

And with this risk, it prompts ours fears,
that we may be betrayed,
by those who we would count as friends,
in whom, our trust, we laid.

For secrets that have been disclosed,
can rarely be contained,
the privacy we’ve sought to guard,
will never be regained.

So often we resist the urge,
to lift the weight we hold,
the burden of the world remains,
a story left untold.

And all this weight just sinks our hearts,
concealing all we know,
as no one can be ever told,
unless six feet below.

Yet taking on the risk to share,
can usefully reveal,
0the characters of those we trust,
if friendships are for real.

For if they take not to their graves,
the secrets we entrust,
then it is clearly time that we,
find someone more robust.

And through this method we can sort,
if one is foe or friend,
then we can really, truly know,
on whom we can depend.

In life we often find ourselves at a crossroads and we are confronted with the decision to choose what we want for our future. Picking a certain path usually precludes all others, so tough choices may be required. Some decisions are easy and clear cut, while others may be very emotionally difficult. Whenever we encounter the latter, we will inevitably experience inertia and an overwhelming sense of reluctance stemming from not wanting to settle on a decision that we may regret later. However, the problems are unlikely to go away just because we procrastinate and hide from them, so it is better that we opt for what our gut is telling us and take a leap of faith. Whether we succeed or not in the future can be subject to so many factors and if we attempt to calculate all possible permutations, our heads will probably explode. Therefore, if we decided something based on the best information available at the time, we should rest assured in the knowledge that the choice we made was appropriate, and that, is all that matters.

Crossroads
Now at a crossroads, here we stand,
unable to decide,
between the paths we wish to take,
an angst that won’t subside.

A future lies beyond both doors,
and each with things we want,
but neither choice can co-exist,
the loss is bound to daunt.

For choosing one necessitates,
the other is forgone,
the consequences we must bear,
and bravely soldier on.

For opportunities in life,
can be unique and few,
when arise, we must determine,
whether we should to pursue.

A life of sheltered stableness,
a life of status quo,
or choose a life of hectic pace,
where nothing’s ever slow.

For time is seldom kind to us,
the clock is ticking fast,
when forced to take a leap of faith,
the chasm can be vast.

Until committed we don’t know,
just how deep we may fall,
or if our feet will touch the ground,
at any point at all.

But we cannot allow ourselves,
to dwell in doubt or fear,
no choice is ever worth regret,
and we must persevere.

For if we truly dare to hope,
to stand out and succeed,
we must accept that in this life,
there’s nothing guaranteed.

We need to be prepared to face,
the circumstance ahead,
and sacrifice some things we love,
meet challenges we dread.

For otherwise, how will we know,
the heights we can achieve,
if stuck at crossroads we remain,
unwilling to believe.

When we lose someone close, it is difficult to fathom how we could ever go on. They had always been there and had a place in our vision of the future. However, when they are gone, they create a massive void in the picture that once was. It’s like a piece of ourselves had been lost and we can’t quite come to terms with what has happened. It’s true to say that while to the world, they may be just one person, but to one person, they may be the world. For everyone who survives those who depart, there is always the question of how they can overcome the sense of loss and grief. As our time on this Earth is short and life itself is delicate, would you regret not making the most of the time you share with those you love or telling them how you felt every chance you got?

Loss
Somebody close was lost today,
I know not how to feel,
and from this nightmare I could not,
awake as it was real.

I cradled my face in my hands,
in utter disbelief,
in speechless anger and denial,
I’m lost in all my grief.

She had been once so full of life,
and now she laid there cold,
and tears are welling in my eyes,
as I wept uncontrolled.

Please tell me why has this occurred?
For she was in her prime.
Why was she so cruelly taken,
during this heinous crime.

Being in her youth and best of health,
untimely was her fate,
a future that was oh so bright,
was what she had await.

But none of that will matter now,
she is now all but gone,
she would never live to see,
the birth of one more dawn.

We will not share in one more laugh,
nor join in one more cry,
Forever lost, her warm embrace,
I had not said good bye.

I much regret that I did not,
make time for her more,
for she was always there for me,
when out, my heart, must pour.

She always knew just what to say,
when I was feeling blue,
I knew she always understood,
for she would feel it too.

She showed me what I always lacked,
but never thought to ask,
and she was one of very few,
in front, I wore no mask.

I truly miss her dearly so,
for she was part of me,
and now it’s always me and I,
and gone are us and we.

I wonder whether life will be,
ever the same again,
for every little thing I do,
reminds me of the pain.

But I know I must get beyond,
for it’s what she would want,
for she would never let a thing,
as slight as death to daunt.

So is there someone who for you,
when lost, would feel this way?
I urge you, tell them how you feel,
express it every day.

In life, there is no second chance,
abruptly it could end,
so live each day like it’s your last,
and this, I recommend.

A friend is someone who is always there for us. Someone who supports us and sympathizes with our cause. However, it can also mean a lot more than that. They can be our closest confidant, our sounding board and our inspiration during both happy and sad times. Yet true friends are not easy to come by. Perhaps it is because we are often too preoccupied with looking out for ourselves rather than the welfare of those around us. While this may simply be human nature, it doesn’t necessarily make it right. We all know the qualities that a good friend ought to possess, but how often do we exhibit these qualities ourselves? Do we ever take friendships for granted, only to appreciate them when they’re gone? So, how would you rate yourself as a friend?

Friendship
I’m really glad that we had met,
your friendship means a lot,
I really do appreciate,
and cherish what we’ve got.

It isn’t always easy to,
find someone we connect,
someone who always understands,
and someone we respect.

So when we meet a person who,
personifies this role,
it’s really something each of us,
should take time to extol.

For our life on this Earth is short,
and time is running out,
and making every moment count,
is what it’s all about.

By finding people who can share,
the joys of every day,
it makes our living more worthwhile,
in such a special way.

Friends are the family whom we choose,
to be there by our side,
the people we know we can trust,
with secrets we confide.

Who will not judge us for our flaws,
accept us as we are,
no matter how peculiar,
eccentric or bizarre.

Who we can count on for support,
who always will be there,
who has a shoulder and an ear,
that always can be spared.

But over time, undoubtedly,
the circumstance will test,
to see if friendships bear the strength,
to stay true and progress.

As sometimes even tiny things,
can blow up in our face,
a simple unintended slight,
construed as to debase.

Blinding anger clouds our judgment,
and heated words exchanged,
the parties walk away confused,
dejected and estranged.

And at those points we have to choose,
if it will be worthwhile,
to set aside the differences,
and go that extra mile.

Recalling all the positives,
the common points we shared,
acknowledging that all of us,
at some point must have erred.

The problems in relationships,
we easily can mend,
if only we forsake the grudge,
remember why we’re friends.

Cause in the end, it’s up to us,
to choose the people who,
will join us on our journey forth,
I’m glad I’ve chosen you.

We don’t have a choice in whether we grow old, but we certainly can choose whether we grow up. Learning to be mature and to appreciate life from different perspectives is not just about experience, but also a willingness to make hard decisions where necessary and to accept responsibility for the things we do, even in the face of bad consequences.  Our first impulse is not always the most ideal response to the given situation and while we may be able to get away with being impetuous and brash as a youth, the line must be drawn at some point. While certainly every choice is ours and ours alone to make, it comes down to how we would rather be remembered. As a person who stands for nothing and only looks after themselves, or a person who could always be counted upon by others when the going gets tough. Who do you wish to be?

Maturity
We all grow older by the day,
but do we grow more wise?
And have we learned from the mistakes,
in our attempts and tries.

Or have we chosen just to age,
but not become mature,
a state of wanton ignorance,
for which, there is no cure.

With every passing day we are,
presented with a choice,
to either take the easy path,
or heed the inner voice.

To do the things that must be done,
and face the tests head on,
to seize the chances that life brings,
before they all are gone.

But naturally we will succumb,
to laziness and greed,
no resolution left intact,
unfaithful to our creed.

“Efficiency”, “convenience”,
we use to justify,
the corners that we choose to cut,
or why we failed to try.

But is it truly all that hard,
to go an extra mile,
to prove to ourselves that we won’t,
back down from any trial.

And do the things we know are right,
no matter if it’s tough,
and to endeavour through the pain,
not simply say, “Enough”.

For that is when we will become,
someone who others can,
depend upon to lead and help,
a person with a plan.

Forsake the follies of our youth,
and duties, we embrace,
it’s then we’ll know that on this earth,
we’ve truly earned our place.

Humans by nature are innately insatiable in our desire. Our list of wants are never-ending and only continues to grow over time. Even after achieving something or finally getting what we wanted, it only reminds us of something else that we lack. In our continuous pursuit of the next big thing, we often compare ourselves with others, only to despair upon the realisation that our efforts are still inferior against the achievements and successes of others. Is it possible for us to learn to be satisfied? Wouldn’t we all be better off if we could aim to strive for more yet still be completely content with what we have?

Satisfaction
It’s in our nature to desire,
we want to have it all,
and to our wants, we bow as slaves,
we’re gladly in its thrall.

We want the things we cannot have,
and envy fills our eyes,
and to ourselves, we often think,
that should have been our prize.

We cannot help the fact we crave,
nor quell the discontent,
and this, the yearning in our hearts,
will simply not relent.

It tears and rips us from within,
it will not be denied,
and like a hunger or a thirst,
the pangs will not subside.

The feel of jealousy pervades,
and deep resentment swells,
we shouldn’t be the one without,
our reasoning compels.

What makes those people worthier,
to have the things we lack?
They make it seem so effortless,
to have their lives on track.

So hence we can’t be satisfied,
we simply cannot rest,
until the object of desire,
into our hands, we wrest.

But it’s this expectation that,
unwittingly we build,
which causes us to always be,
forever unfulfilled.

Although ambition helps us thrive,
we need to draw a line,
we ought to use it as a tool,
but don’t let it define.

For in the end, with all we’ve gained,
the trophies we could earn,
contentment is the lesson that,
we really need to learn.

They say that we are only limited by our imagination and we never know how high we can climb or how far we can jump unless we try. But once we try and don’t succeed, does it mean we should give up? We hear of miracles and impossible feats every day. Individuals testing the boundaries of their human potential and striving to achieve their own personal best. For us, it may not happen today or even tomorrow. However, if we endeavour to break our limitations, eventually we will achieve our dreams and realise our goals. For things that mean a lot to us, it is worth going that extra step to make it happen. No matter how discouraging the people around us may be, sometimes they just need to be proven wrong in order to believe. If we can only keep the faith ourselves, the world will be our oyster and the boundaries we once knew or were taught to believe in can be redefined. Are you ready to accept the challenge?

Limitations:
They tell us it cannot be done,
it’s not within our genes,
we lack the strength and force of will,
as well as proper means.

They say there’s no chance of success,
they say we’re doomed to fail,
they say we ought to stay at home,
for we might break a nail.

They say we are quixotical,
the effort, not worthwhile,
that this is not the time nor place,
to face up to a trial.

They say that pigs will never fly,
they say that hell will freeze,
before our goals are met we’ll die,
of old age or disease.

But what do these naysayers know,
they thought the world was flat,
and they would never contemplate,
to surpass where they’re at.

They have become too practical,
they’ve lost the gift to dream,
to see beyond the surface of,
what something just may seem.

Knowing our own limitations,
a good thing in itself,
but we must not let it constrain,
our drive to raise oneself.

With aspirations, we must aim,
beyond the moon and stars,
imagination is the key,
the only thing that bars.

So have you faith to give your best,
in order to succeed?
To fight against tremendous odds,
and never to concede?

For that’s the hallmark of someone,
who lives to change the rules,
not follow blindly in belief,
in wisdom held by fools.

Life is a mixture of ups and downs. Some people drew better cards than others when they were born which offered them a head start. Others less lucky have it tougher and must struggle each step of the way to achieve a level playing field. Nonetheless, irrespective of adversity and the challenges faced, it is always up to the individual to maintain perspective. A positive attitude can go a long way when it comes to taking on the world. It’s not about being blindly optimistic or unrealistic as the case may be, but a glass half full shows that we can appreciate the simple pleasures of life and take the wins as they come. Sometimes, that’s really what makes the difference.

Attitude
We don’t choose whether we are born,
we don’t choose where we’re from,
we do choose how we live our lives,
and what we will become.

So it would be an awful shame,
to waste life on regret,
to dwell on momentary pain,
and make ourselves upset.

It takes a lot of energy,
to be consumed by hate,
to shut ourselves off from the world,
refusing to relate.

But if we let go of our past,
remove constraints that bind,
we might be pleasantly surprised,
by all that we will find.

For there is so much in this life,
that we should all enjoy,
if we can just stop focusing,
on things that would annoy.

Life is all about perspective,
our attitude is key,
we can be so much happier,
when open and carefree.

The daily burdens that we bear,
will disappear in time,
there’s nothing insurmountable,
no mountain we can’t climb.

If we can simply keep the faith,
endure for long enough,
success will be that much more sweet,
because things were so tough.

With perfect hindsight we should look,
at all that’s gone before,
had a window not been opened,
when life had closed a door?

We ought to simply trust that fate,
in some way will provide,
as how we choose to see the world,
is for us to decide.