stepping into,
that which is difficult, that which is frightening,
that which is neither comfortable nor easy
has to be done
or we sit and shrivel up
and die of stagnation,
boredom or cancer

am i practicing what i preach?
somewhat,
sometimes,
some of me.

do i feel fit to point others in the direction
i know intrinsically we all need to take?
yes i do.
for knowing,
for showing,
for telling,
can be done, even if one isn’t
fully living what they know.

i find myself tired so much of the time.
tired of these old voices,
tired of these old beliefs,
about self,
about others
about the way things are
yet don’t need to be

all i offer up to the world is a knowing
a certain hard won wisdom
that this can and will change
that this is moving is the direction
of my most optimistic moments
of my most inclusive ideals
of my most wildest dreams

this is what keeps me here,
this is what keeps me keeping going
and not simply falling into an abyss
of my own creation
of my own destruction

i am life
i am love
i am i am