Feel the Burn

Why run away
rather than face the day?
Why run to the bottle
to escape the butterflies
in your stomach?

Why run into
a cloud
of smoke
to escape the chaos inside?
Why run to pills
to escape the pain?

Why run
to the television
to escape conversation?
Why run
behind a closed door
to escape a loved one?

Stop running.

Face the day,
be it struggle,
adventure,
or joy.
Take it on.
Experience
fear, and then
disregard it.

Catch
the butterflies,
then set them free,
and let them lead you
to fields of wildflowers.

Thrive
in the chaos.
Do not be swept
in by the madness,
but acknowledge
it for what it is.
And then strive for peace.

Feel pain,
and know hurt.
Take it
for the warning that it is.
Do not seek an
end to the pain, but a
resolution to its cause.

Communicate
through open doors.
Be vulnerable.
Be you
to the fullest.

Smile until you laugh.
Laugh until you cry.
Cry until you find it hard to breathe.
And then find something worth breathing for.