kroddyrich.com

Time for the Grand Finale! I have loved every second of sharing with you all each part of my revised poem. In the past couple of years, and most certainly the recent years of my life, changed me for the better, I like to assume. I had a rough start to my self-discovery journey; it honestly felt more like a self-destructive journey. I invited all the bad and let it take over all the good I had built up before. I was always aware, and I am not sure if sometimes that makes it all sound exponentially worse, but what I never had was perspective. That is one thing you instantly take away from trial and tribulation, and once you have it, you have been changed forever. To that I say, Amen. Perspective has slowly but surely become one of my favorite things. To seek, to learn, to receive, and to share. It is happening all around us, and you never know where you’ll find it, when you’ll grasp it and let it change you, or how many people you will spread it to. I always liked to write, especially just for myself, but when I fell in love with it and found passion for it, was when I realized that I could take the time to write something that is an accumulation of who I am, what I have experienced, how I perceive things and how those perceptions have evolved, and finally the courage to share them when I have put in the work to heal myself and encourage you all to do the same. This poem was my first, and during the time of creating it, I was in a place of pain. Nothing serious Thank God, but just another slight heartbreak of the what could have beens. The poem was first meant to be just the first part that entailed a lot of anger and hate, and it possibly could have turned into a series, but this second part was never meant to be included in the same poem. But I had a hard time finding a conclusion. With the perspective I now have, how can I just end something on a bad note without looking at what can grow from it? What’s next? That is when this portion of the poem was produced and very quickly became my favorite part.

So here it goes…

This is when I discovered who

I was always destined to be

all the things I was destined to see

what it truly feels like

To Be Free.

Free from all guilt, worry, and shame,

Free from continuously choosing myself to blame.

Now all I blame myself for

was not putting myself first sooner,

hiding the pain behind my fabulous sense of humor

Letting people think They know me based on some rumor

Giving them the reaction They wanted

just to jeopardize my future.

I gave Them too much credit

loved Them so hard

that should have been love I saved.

But this is life at the end of the day

you live and you learn,

More importantly,

this is my life

and what I do is none of your concern.

I am done apologizing

you had your turn

And now it is mine.

I don’t have to give you

all the love and attention I know now,

you never deserved.

The Love and Attention that can now only be earned.

My favorite part about me

is to be me.

and to not allow everyone

to know me.

Being secure enough to know

not every action

needs a reaction,

not everyone’s wants

needs my response

This

is the art

of finding the love within,

being comfortable in my own skin

knowing when to walk away

no longer waiting

for my life to begin.

And that is my newly revised poem “I am > Them”. Hope you have enjoyed it and that it is the very thing that jumpstarts your journey of self-discovery or adds to it if you’re already on it. With that the question I leave you with is, What are your favorite things about yourself? Write them down on a paper and let that be your constant reminder everyday and every moment you need it.

xoxo,

Kroddyrich💋