I breathe. I do it approximately 30 times a minute. I have done so since I was born.
My heart beats. It does this approximately 65 times a minute. Every minute.
When I turn my head to look around me, I see shapes and textures and above all, miraculous, beautiful colour.
When I eat, I taste.
When I reach out my hand, I feel hot, cold, soft, hard, rough, smooth. I feel.
My brain is able to process all of this, and knows what to do with it.
Even though I cannot dance, I have the option of standing still.
Sometimes, all we are meant to have in life is life itself.
If the only gift we are given is health, we are spoilt.
The knowledge that we will wake up tomorrow, so easily taken for granted or worse, ignored, is twenty-four carat knowledge. If we have this, we are bejeweled.
A life, no matter what it is made of, is the most valuable commodity existing. If we have this, we own a private economy.
So my heart that beats has never known love. It may never, but it beats.
I may die alone, but first, will have lived.
If we blind ourselves to what we have and what surrounds us, we will never see anything.
Every second spent waiting, wanting, demanding, expecting, is a precious second wasted.
So if I cannot love another, I will love the blue in the sky, or the red on a rose.
If I cannot find happiness in empty outside sentiments, I will find it in the scent on the air, or that of a new book, freshly opened.
If I cannot imagine my life shared, I will share my words and my thoughts instead, and be glad I am able.
I will not die a second before I am dead.
I breathe.
Jessica Tremp
something we should all remember
Michael Alesich
Really enjoyed this piece Rebekah,
The opening really drew me in.
ArcadiaTempest
This is stunning. Optimism rolled into surrealism….... ( my view of it anyways)......clever work. :)
ShadowDancer
This is so thought provoking.. I am now noticing my every breath since I read it. The ending is perfect..
artyfifi
Beautiful & clear. It’s nice to peel away the layers and appreciate that life is indeed a gift and can be beautiful every day. This will stay with me, Thx.
Victoria Gauci
Powerful. I sense you are a Leo? Am I right or wrong?
Rebekah Anderson replied
Libra. Sorry :-(
Jakki O
Wonderful :D
VelvetGirl
my sentiments exactly. x
MarkezzAckui ...
LOVE THIS POEM…..HOW VERY INSPIRATIONAL….THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT…...THANKS FOR SHARING THIS
Mardra
WOW, I’m so glad this has been featured and that I have had a chance to read it.
Thank you very much for sharing this.
dolphinkist
Great beginning…it intrigued me.
Great last two lines…brings the point home in a simple mantra we all can remember.
And everything in between? You guessed it, great!
Important to remember.
Thanks.
Lisa Jewell
I shall read this many times…...profound piece of writing…
Leith O'Malley
Inspiring Beck.. sometimes we forget.
abigail
can i just say that this poem almost made me cry and not a lot of things make me cry.
it’s a really sick as peice. sadly it’s so close to the truth…
i absolutely love it :)
greyday
Life is precious; healthy hearts and minds cannot be measured such as wealth and material belongings.
myinspirations
marvelous
Luke Downes
i often hold my breath. i never know why.
qq42
Simply but often forgotten. Well,done.
espanolvive
notice those wretches with less luck,
then look at yourself.
ChelseaCernig
wow. beautiful. to live by. the flow is absolutely seamless.
PJ Ryan
stunning and profound piece .. beautiful.
LeaLoo
bien idea!
bellmusker
If we have this, we are bejeweled.
What a way with words you have…..such a rich and evocative piece.
SimplySteff
This made me cry ;u;
mabelme
I definitely agree!!!
But I could not have phrased it as nicely ;)
Very nice.