A door shuts.
I look into your eyes.
I see me.
But, I want you to be you.
I want your dreams to be yours.
Not ours.
The world is big.
We make it feel small.
Don’t let it all fall.
You’re a tween now.
That won’t last for long.
Tackle the projects now.
And live for long.
Don’t look back.
Look forward and you’ll see.
It was not me who pushed you.
It was you, you’ll see.
Life is sacred, live it so.
One day you’ll be my age.
And glad you lived so.
Run with it.
You’ll see what I mean.
Doors will shut.
Doors will open.
Push it further and test your dreams.
For soon, you’ll be grown up.
You’ll be you.
And I’ll still be me.
***
The day before I wrote this poem, I explained to my 12-year-old daughter that we have 1,440 minutes in a day; use them wisely. If we continue to take on new challenges, take on new goals, our lives will be amazing.
So I wrote this poem for her, to tell her that it’s her life. She needs to keep tackling new tasks, new projects and don’t be afraid to fail. If you fail, so what? Press on; another door will open. If not, our doors will remain closed.
This is why we don’t set boundaries in our lives. Step out of your comfort zone and give it all you have. Because in the end, I want her to look back and be glad she pushed herself to achieve more. No regrets, take action now.
At 12, as it is at 46, we need to take that first step, again and again.
Related: 5 Ways Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone Made Me a Better Person
