It Has Taken a Lifetime

It has taken a lifetime
to understand my mother
to find out how strong I really am
to realize I should’ve been kinder to myself
to see failure as a positive thing

It has taken a lifetime
to love the so-called imperfect body parts
to understand that not everything has to be forever
to decide that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are just labels
to discover I’ve wasted way too much time
trying to be something other than myself

It has taken a lifetime
to stop following and start leading
to know what true friendship is
to notice the little things 
to appreciate being alone

It has taken a lifetime
to know what love is and what love isn’t
to value the ‘teachers’ in my life
to learn to love myself
in a way I had always reserved for others

It has taken a lifetime
of living
to realize I’m not an expert at life
to know only
what it is to be fully human
a wonderful work in progress

Photo Credit

Photo by Carol Good – all rights reserved

Recent Carol Good Articles:

• If Not Now, When?
• I Want to Fall in Love Again
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• What I'm Trying to Say
• I Met a Man