Not Until My Last Breath

Some would fester in bitterness,

And dear soul, in a different era I would,

But not now, not now.

Now I am grateful for each solitary healing burst

Every breath of relief, every heartfelt beat

Whatever the outcome around the bend,

It is not a waste on my road of life.

Some would grow their roots in resentment

And dear soul, in another chapter I would,

But not now, not now.

There is no telling how long a journey will last

What we will learn as we transition one step to the next

So rather than protest the inevitability of change

I choose to reverence the gift of experience.

Some would understandably lose hope

And dear soul, I still do sometimes, in the deepest dark,

But not now, not as much.

If I sacrifice hope in an already hopeless world,

I give up all of my reasons to keep moving,

And I cannot stop moving

Not now, not ever,

Not until my last breath.