I pray for salvation;
Head under water,
And fearing temptation.
A glowing hand reaches down.
I surface with unease
And regain my footing,
Pondering on the ease
Of nearly drowning close to shore.
With air in my lungs,
And light to guide me,
I take the next step
With cautious abandon.
Before me
I see the path.
It is not easy,
Filled with trials.
Continuing my climb up the mountain,
I leave the foul pond behind.
"You shall not have me today."
But I know I must be prepared.
Having overcome the pond,
And the demon within,
I pause and turn
To assess my progress.
It has been a long hard climb
To get this far.
My footsteps trace my path;
Through ravines and snares.
Looking ahead.
There is far to go.
And likely many difficulties,
Hidden from view.
I look to the heavens
And ask a question,
Make a plea,
For the umpteenth time.
"Give me wings
To fly to the top."
"Give me strength
To leap the chasms."
"Allow me to move forward
In great leaps and bounds."
"Remove the obstacles,
And smooth my path."
It doesn't work that way.
It is not that easy
Nor that convenient.
Else, what would be the point?
The path to manhood,
To settling down
To fatherhood,
To peace, safety, and perfection
This is a path that must refine;
There can be no shortcuts.
Progress is made
One infuriating step at a time.
There will be strength and help.
We will meet others along the way.
Along with the trials,
Friendship and love in abundance.
And so I look up and forward.
I take this step, then the next
The first of many that will not stop me.
I face the challenges - it will be worth it!
Head under water,
And fearing temptation.
A glowing hand reaches down.
I surface with unease
And regain my footing,
Pondering on the ease
Of nearly drowning close to shore.
With air in my lungs,
And light to guide me,
I take the next step
With cautious abandon.
Before me
I see the path.
It is not easy,
Filled with trials.
Continuing my climb up the mountain,
I leave the foul pond behind.
"You shall not have me today."
But I know I must be prepared.
Having overcome the pond,
And the demon within,
I pause and turn
To assess my progress.
It has been a long hard climb
To get this far.
My footsteps trace my path;
Through ravines and snares.
Looking ahead.
There is far to go.
And likely many difficulties,
Hidden from view.
I look to the heavens
And ask a question,
Make a plea,
For the umpteenth time.
"Give me wings
To fly to the top."
"Give me strength
To leap the chasms."
"Allow me to move forward
In great leaps and bounds."
"Remove the obstacles,
And smooth my path."
It doesn't work that way.
It is not that easy
Nor that convenient.
Else, what would be the point?
The path to manhood,
To settling down
To fatherhood,
To peace, safety, and perfection
This is a path that must refine;
There can be no shortcuts.
Progress is made
One infuriating step at a time.
There will be strength and help.
We will meet others along the way.
Along with the trials,
Friendship and love in abundance.
And so I look up and forward.
I take this step, then the next
The first of many that will not stop me.
I face the challenges - it will be worth it!