Gregory Richard Barden Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

The Blessing of Mistakes

The Big Lie ...
It started with chronic pain ...
And the only thing I could take that helped
Then pain became an excuse for a couple hours of euphoria
That went away, and from then on it was all about survival ... and not being sick
The worst physical, mental and emotional sick imaginable
Chasing the devil with a smile and a story
Until it took so much to NOT be sick that it stopped my heart ... three times.

Mistakes ...
Mistakes are part of being human
But some of us are a bit more ... human, than others
There are few mistakes more egregious than those that end in your death
Few as stupid and worthless and pitiful
But I was given another chance, for what, I'm not sure
Perhaps to warn others, or to show them that it IS survivable
Maybe to write about it and scare some into sobriety
It could be as an example of how much a person can lose
Or perhaps, even, to save a life.

Answers ...
I'm not sure I'll ever have the answer to that
But I am a different person, and that new person is someone I like
Not because I survived my own stupidity and mistakes
But because I have learned through it ALL
That within EVERY mistake, no matter how horrid
There is growth and transformation and knowledge and blessing
I might even say that there are no such things as mistakes, only opportunities
If you're willing to open your eyes and heart and learn from them

Like most things in life, they happen for a reason
And it's up to each of us how we deal with them and respond in turn
We are human and we make mistakes - that's unavoidable
But being human also means we have the free will and choice
To turn those mistakes around, to become enlightened and improved
And see them always not as slights, but as opportunities to do so
To learn and gain the latitude to laugh and live and love ...
As better people.

Life is not about overcoming mistakes ... it's about transforming them.




~ 1st Place ~  in the "Overcoming Mistakes" Poetry Contest, Chantelle Anne Cooke, Judge & Sponsor.

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Regina Mcintosh September 11, 2019 at 8:14 PM Congratulations on your first place and have a wonderful week. Blessings Gregory Richard Barden December 9, 2019 at 7:50 PM Thank you again, Regina! :o)

Regina Mcintosh September 11, 2019 at 11:26 AM Truly a good poem, - the only thing I might add is the with God, all things are possible. Prayer changes things and grace brought us a Savior, Jesus Christ, who will remake your entire life. He did mine. Blessings Gregory Richard Barden December 9, 2019 at 7:49 PM Thank you so much for the comment, my friend - blessings! :o) <3

Arturo Michael September 8, 2019 at 9:39 AM "Life is not about overcoming mistakes ... it's about transforming them." would make a good Monoku too...A conscious write... Gregory Richard Barden September 10, 2019 at 8:11 AM Many kind thanks, my friend, I may take your advice and use that for a Monoku - a good suggestion! I am pleased you found this worthy of comment ... I am not proud of some of my more egregious mistakes, but I AM proud of how I have survived them and used them to become stronger and a better human. I hope folks get that message here, as you have. Blessings, Arturo! :o)