Taken From '08

<span style="font-size:75">I was just thinking about this. And decided to have people join in my contemplation.<br><span style="font-weight:bold">What are the biggest life lessons you've learned in the past year?</span><br><br>Honestly, I can say that I've learned alot about myself in many ways. And that i'm a stronger person for all of it. That heartache is a normal part of life, and nearly losing someone can change your perspective. and that you really need to find friends that love you for who you are, despite the things you do. and that if someone judges you on your own personal actions, then they aren't really someone you need. and that love isn't enough sometimes. and rollercoasters arent nearly as scary as i thought. and its okay to act like an idiot sometimes, because youre friends should be at your side acting dumber than you. and failing a test won't hurt me. and people can turn on you in an instant. people who loved you and made promises. promises that mattered. and a stranger can be your new closest friend in times of great changes. never doubt the power of a secret, please. in telling your secrets you tell your soul.<br><br>After a While<br><br>After a while you learn<br>The subtle difference between<br>Holding a hand and chaining a soul<br>And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning<br>And company doesn't always mean security.<br><br>And you begin to learn<br>That kisses aren't contracts<br>And presents aren't promises<br>And you begin to accept your defeats<br>With your head up and your eyes ahead<br>With the grace of a woman<br>Not the grief of a child<br><br>And you learn<br>To build all your roads on today<br>Because tomorrow's ground is<br>Too uncertain for plans<br>And futures have a way<br>Of falling down in mid flight<br><br>After a while you learn<br>That even sunshine burns if you get too much<br>So you plant your own garden<br>And decorate your own soul<br>Instead of waiting<br>For someone to bring you flowers<br><br>And you learn<br>That you really can endure<br>That you are really strong<br>And you really do have worth<br>And you learn and you learn<br>With every good bye you learn.<br><br>Veronica A. Shoffstall</span>