poem by Alli Deman
With tears in your eyes you looked up at my face,
And told me our world was such an ugly place.
You said love wasn’t real and that I was naive
Because all of the good things always seem to leave.
Never before have I felt so much pity,
For if you truly think that this world is not pretty,
Then you’ve never been outside when there’s a light breeze,
Dancing through your hair and rustling the trees.
You’ve never truly appreciated the stars that twinkle in the sky,
And if you never make an effort, they'll just pass you by.
You haven’t felt the warm summer sand between your toes,
Or had the smell of fresh-cut wildflowers flood your nose.
You’ve never felt your heart glow with love for a friend.
You’re unaware that there is nothing that love won’t transcend.
You’ve never had a one-on-one talk with your God.
You don’t know that you’re loved because you are flawed.
You’ve never been filled to the brim with emotion,
And you’ve never stood completely in awe of the ocean.
Because for you to look at this world and tell me it's terrible,
Well then your life to this point was nothing short of unbearable.
You don't understand that it's all in the little things,
Like fresh fruit and warm hugs and the promise of spring.
You must appreciate the endless opportunities of this life:
Don’t wait to do the things that make you feel alive,
For if you’re planning on spending your life on this Earth,
Then you should recognize it for all that it's worth.
Next time there’s a rainstorm, don’t sit there and pout,
Realize that rainstorms are what life’s all about.
Why frown at the raindrops when what’s meant to be seen
Is that, in life, you can’t shine unless something washes you clean.