The Road

We Choose~~~

photo by Michele

We enter this world with hands unclenched, Eyes wide with wonder, hearts untouched by prejudice, By bitterness, by the carefully taught language Of hate.

Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash

For a time, we are carried, fed, and guided by voices That speak before we can.

Then comes the day our own feet find the earth, And the pathways begin.

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Not every trail leads toward the light.

Some are lined with persuasive voices, Promising power, certainty, Or belonging at the cost of another’s dignity.

They question what we have believed, Tempt us to trade conscience for convenience, Truth for comfort, compassion for contempt.

Life places crossroads before us More often than we expect.

Each choice, however small, Nudges the compass of the soul.

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One road winds quietly toward decay, Where self-deception tricks us into Thinking righteousness, And our hearts grow smaller With every step.

The other asks more of us.

It calls us to humility, To courage, to see ourselves In the face of a stranger, To measure our wealth not by what we possess, But by the kindness we extend And the gratitude we carry.

No one walks perfectly.

We stumble. We lose our bearings. We wander.

Yet the compass is always in our hands, Waiting to be viewed.

So pause.

Look honestly at the footprints behind you, Then lift your eyes to the trail ahead.

Check your compass.

What path are you on?

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash