The flame rose as he reached for greatness, half emboldened, half-blinded, and fully committed in the pursuit of fulfilling one heart’s desire: to restore, to repair, to replenish the cavernous well of optimistic joy he one felt.

Then, like now, his mission was the same, to erase the pain he did not claim. Yet, a common refrain, no pizazz, just plain.

As he pushed that boulder up the hill for another day, he still smiles, for his was to share a thunder bolt of grace, that amazing feeling of electric joy with a place he dared not disgrace.

It all felt right that moment, this time, that he should no longer hide but share his light regardless of the darkness that comes each night.

With a strength and a moment’s wisdom he summoned all his might awkward, yet he did not speak,.

He did not show, that which gave him fright, instead he chose to spread with all his might through smiles, hugs, and deeds, a gift to the world that of delight.

Every once in a while, we find ourselves in exile, instead of walking down the aisle, not looking eye to eye, rather aside in profile, to see your features, in the bully-pulpit, to be a preacher, or to reach for another teacher.

Of those lessons, we should have learned, all those bridges were allowed to burn, all the scars we dared to earn, carried us forth towards a love – with whom, we now spurn, continually we yearn.

A new genus began this day, all the things we wished to say, a mind at rest allows the heart strings to play, a melody in hues of red, yellow, blue.

A sunrise shines its bright ray, without movement, I will not stay. This life will be full of color, not this pale gray, through this fog I will show you the way all this hurt, which was on full display.

Now, not because of, but rather, in spite of, you built a stronger man who lives on this way.

Thankful, blessed, happier, wholesome, toothsome, damaged, but beautiful, hopeful, emboldened, not withering, still standing, marching forth, with this flag unfurled, battle-tested, colors above, trumpets echoing off the mountains and rumbling down the canyons, as he watches from his perch and his kingdom, he now surveys, the remains of that forgotten day.

Never to go back,
The world broke his back,
Never again to crack,
Every demon you conjured vanished from this track.
Never again to attack,
For all your convictions, your faith, you fully lack,
Never again to be set back.
Just taking it all in and standing out from the pack.