Here's To You Life

Hand to fist Eye to eye To fight for survival, that’s been my whole life. Too young to be wise, and yet Staying intelligent despite the lies; I have never had a bigger adversary. You have never shown me mercy. You have never gone easy. You have never given me many people, which my heart needs. Not without taking them away. Mostly painfully. Sometimes mockingly. Very rarely nicely. But no one has ever been there for me more. No one has ever looked out for me nearly as much. You hound me mercilessly, but if ever it becomes too much, you give me what I need. And, truly, as hard as things can be If ever I get truly unhappy, if my heart truly starts to hurt You open the door to make things better, and things do get better, and I learn once again that things will be okay. Life you have been cruelly kind. And as much as you hurt me, I owe you that which is precious, and mine. And if I live to be old at all It is because I learned to stand strong and tall Under all the weight you threw at me, constantly. I will never have a bigger adversary, but I want to make something known to you- I know there is nothing truer than what you do. I want you to know that I know that. Tomorrow when I pop that bottle of wine, you’ll be not a rival, but the dearest friend of mine. And I’ll toast not my triumphs or successes, but yours. And then, the day after, you can go back to kicking me out of bed and out the door.