Just a thought!

After a while you learn
the subtle difference
between holding a hand
and chaining a soul,
and you learn
that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't mean security.
And you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of a woman,
not the grief of a child.
And you learn to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is
too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight.
After awhile you learn
that even sunshine burns if you ask too much.
So you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn
      that you really can endure
           that you really are strong
                and you really do have worth.
And you learn
        and you learn
             with every goodbye
                   you learn.....
                                
                                     -(V.S.)