It’s simple to go with the current
—Let me carry you where you belong—
Is the tune that it sings and it’s easy
Getting caught up in the song.
But the current goes nowhere special
And the effort it takes is minute.
It floats you along without action—
You need to be more resolute.
So much joy in this world come from setting
A goal and a plan, well-conceived.
You get strong fixing course and then training
And finding a way to achieve.
Don’t rush to set foot on the first path
The one that is overly smooth;
The way is well-trodden, that’s certain,
But adventure is really your truth.
What’s the point of a life without challenge?
Why live if there’s nothing to face?
There is joy in the fight, you’ll discover,
When you train hard and finish the race.
When you’re called by a challenge, give listen
To the things that it’s trying to say.
Then you’ll never be one who must mutter
An excuse that their life has been gray.
Tag: confidence
To the One Who Needed Silence
Don’t be afraid to voice it.
—Yes, the irony is there.
You try to model it instead,
But when you craft a silence bubble,
They rush in with words,
And cram every cranny.
The place looks different in their eyes
—Awkward, lazy, wasted space—
Not the serene spot
You strove to shape.
Still, don’t be afraid to voice it.
There are so many things
About yourself you don’t know
But this one thing you do:
You need wild stretches of wordlessness—
Without assignment
Without expectations—
Pausing deadlines and headlines,
Cutting away dead branches,
Taking chances that you may be worthwhile.
You’re afraid to need anything
Afraid to let someone know when you do
Because vulnerability can be abused.
You don’t want to cast a shadow,
To be any color but clear,
To be more than a whisper.
Secretly, you want to be invisible
Because it would let you be
Free to listen to the stream run
And dance among the trees.
But you can’t want that, not really,
They say. We gave you a book
About how to squeeze every drop
Of time out of each day
Like a lemon on a juicer
But you didn’t study it.
Shame on me, you think,
And carry the book, for years and years,
Finally throwing it away, unread.
Then life begins.
With a breath of silence.
Angela Adams
To the One Who Listened to Lies
They’ve been part of your life since you got here;
So, of course you have listened to them.
They may have been with you before you were born;
How could you not hear what they said?
Some of your earliest notions
Were wrapped in deceit and dread
Since you couldn’t distinguish the difference—
What was truth out of all that was said.
If someone had silenced those demons
Your mind might have learned they were false
But the truth and the lies intermingled,
And sang a bewildering song.
But who can silence silence?
They don’t hear what goes on in your mind.
So the lies got free range and they pecked at your brain
Like chickens let loose in the garden.
But the wonderful thing about growing
Is learning and starting to see,
That just because that’s where you started,
An ending place it need not be.
Run hard into battle; don’t fall back.
Stand up when they fire; call them out.
Hold the line. They’re not friends; don’t mistake them.
Lies have only the power you assign.
To the One Who Had to Finish Everything Else First
No one else seems to understand—
They’re going at it the other way
Starting with what they want,
Expecting the other pieces will fall into place.
And often it does—because people like you make it happen.
But in your proud mind it’s set in stone
You can’t follow your dream
Until you’ve earned the right
By setting everything in order first.
And the day doesn’t come—because you’re crippling yourself.
Because there’s always someone else
Who needs your time,
Could use your resources.
And you never have 100% left in your own pocket.
The day will come—because frustrations will build.
And something will click:
You’ll decide to dive in anyway,
Even when the water is rocky and deep.
You’ll learn by leaping.
Finally the day will come—and that will make all the difference.
The Third Road Diverged
The road has diverged in a crimson wood
And I don’t know which way to choose
Neither one points where I think I should go;
Lost, I stand in the dusk, confused.
The glittering sun is my only gold;
The North Star, my guide and lead.
Not all those who wander are lost, I hear,
Yet many who ramble aren’t free.
But I haven’t the time to ruminate
On what is or what ought to be.
The only real choice is before me:
I will stomp a new path through the trees!
To the Young Woman Who Feels Like An Alien in Bars
You’re feeling the fool now and wishing
Yourself more—like all of the rest.
You want to fit in and be trendy
But you feel something wrong when you’re pressed.
Your waver’s not weakness; it’s wisdom.
Your eyes see the truth: There is more.
If you don’t step away, you’ll be lost, dear
Pulled into a meaningless whirl.
Don’t waste time with self-criticizing,
Supposing it’s you who can’t stand.
Set standards for him and hold to them
Don’t build a foundation on sand.
Your doubting, this time, is not weakness;
It’s knowing this isn’t your stop.
There’s no shame leaving places behind you;
Ignore foolish pressure and hop.
You must be aware: People chatter.
It’s funny that you haven’t met
Those who speak twenty ways in a minute,
Raise opinions like gamblers grow debts
Will you ruin your life with one comment?
Never read deep in those drunken words.
They’re empty and worthless; don’t let them
Beat you to a pulp; hold that sword.
They can talk, but you don’t have to listen.
And you don’t have to trek where they go.
You knew it; you just wouldn’t say it.
Why not? Trust you might truly know.
That sense wasn’t fear; it was vision.
You knew you were in the wrong place.
Dull, pointless and dumb—artificial—
A futureless swamp to evade.
It doesn’t come round all that often,
But you’ve heard that small voice in the past.
You’ve met it while hiking in forests;
That’s the input you want to hold fast.
I hope you will let her grow stronger.
The voice that thinks deeply and far
And who knows she was made for a reason.
Who walks her own path, not the bar.
To the One Trying to Earn Salvation
I see where you’ve come from
And I see where you’re heading.
You’ll work yourself into a fit.
You’ll try to obey, be good, take care,
Follow the right path, not hurt anyone.
You’ll practice for the first 20 years
As a daughter then stumble
Around for the next 20
Wondering why following
all those rules doesn’t work.
You won’t realize what you’re trying,
Trying to earn your salvation.
You just want to leave things better,
You’ll say, calmer than you found them.
This will genuinely be true.
This is what you want.
But deep down, you also want more.
You hope the One who sees all
Will recognize you and say “well done.”
You’re trying to prove your worth.
It’s admirable, wanting to make the world better,
But you’re doing it from the wrong place—
Out of feelings of worthlessness.
You aren’t worthless. You are loved.
You are loved more deeply
Than you ever can imagine.
Why are you choosing to live in fear,
—cowering, trembling—
When you could be guided by love?
The price was already paid.
Christ didn’t come to condemn the world,
But that the world might be saved,
Through Him.
It might not make sense,
Why He would care about you,
But why do you care
About things you’ve created?
Why do your own family,
Your own experiences,
Your own words,
Mean so much to you?
Because you helped make them.
Why does your kitten make you smile?
Because you love it.
You can’t explain why;
You love what you love.
I can’t explain why Christ
Loves what he does.
You may feel unworthy, imperfect,
Like you’ll never earn His love,
Never earn His salvation
And that’s all true.
But He chooses to love you.
You’ll eventually realize that
And out of that place of plenty
You’ll want to share His vision
And make this world a better place.
To the One Struggling to Captain Her Own Ship
Life never is finished.
It’s not a burger flipped.
It’s not an 8 to 5—
Punch in and out.
There always will be more—
Another dish to wash,
Another floor to mop,
Another meal to cook,
Another conversation to have,
Another person who needs the time
(Certainly more than you do).
Another people with
Different thoughts, ideas, whims.
It will always be a tug of war
When you are near strong people
—Fascinating people—
You need to realize
That your vision is valuable too.
Don’t get trampled
Or pushed off the edge.
Someone else will always say
You’re doing the wrong thing.
You could do it differently—better!
People will always imply that
Their needs are more important now—
They’ll only take a few minutes.
But minutes turn to hours
Turn to days and months.
The years spin by, faster and faster.
Soon they’re swimming out of control
And you’re dizzy with panic—
Pushing and squeezing,
Throbbing—thunk, thunk, thunk—
Inside your skull.
You can’t turn time back,
But you can stop the pattern—
Right now.
You can stop and say:
I need time.
I need a fair share.
I need to step back
And focus on this for now.
I’ve focused on you;
I’m sure you’ll understand.
Many won’t see the importance,
Or comprehend
Why you want this route.
They may try to sink your ship
Or nudge you towards
A different course—
More interesting,
More profitable—
More closely connected to their own success.
They have it all planned out,
And explain it all
In most eloquent words
Or stab you with a
Fine!-Dig-Your-Own-Grave eye roll
Just as you’re feeling unsure of yourself
And you’ll feel pressure to agree,
To help for a while,
It might even be welcome
To have guidance—
Someone else to take the wheel
Just for a stretch—
But are you prepared for the exchange?
Life will be easier,
But mean less.
You’ll end up somewhere,
But not on your map.
That can be good,
But ultimately, it’s your choice.
When you know where you need to go,
Be mindful as you buy your ticket.
To the One Who Feels Pressure to Fill Others
Be mindful of who you keep near you.
There are voices that lead you off course.
Supporting is not always loving.
There are times it can hurt more than cure.
Don’t pour yourself out without refill,
Or give when you’ve nothing to spare.
Dole out love from a place of abundance,
Not by force when you’re withered and bare.
Don’t feel like a flop when you’re honest
And you say you require extra space.
Set a line when you see that you need it.
Be aware when it’s time to escape.
You have value; don’t ever forget it.
You aren’t put here to serve people’s whims.
You don’t live so that others can be lazy.
You don’t work just to make their lives gleam.
You cannot make someone else happy
Who is not content with his life.
A puppeteer always is needy.
You, as puppet, just won’t set that right.
For once, give your own gifts the runway.
Be bold and be strong—simply try.
When you strengthen and then you gain liftoff,
Don’t hold yourself back, girl, just fly!
To the One Trapped in Jealousy
Jealousy is like a sore
That when you pick
Just festers more.
A simple way to break away
Is still your mind
Then calmly say:
I will not talk about these things
They’ve nothing more
Than hate to bring.
Help never comes through ugly thoughts
Through brokenness,
Polluted taunts.
In bitter views I will not die
Trapped in a maze
With all your lies.
I will not keep your company
I’ve learned, and now
I will break free.
Truth is, the things we like to feed
Are what grow strong
And are what breed.
I choose to be content and live
With thanks and joy
For what life gives.
Angela Writes... 