How much is this worth?
that is the complex question
that I could not ask.
I was afraid of winning
at too high a cost,
so I despaired of success
and lowered my eyes,
resigned to give up often
and expect little
of the burning flame inside.
But no! I now refuse
to accept complacency.
It seemed safe to me
and I thought I sought comfort
by doing the minimum
and easing my load.
But what I could not have known
was I was stretched thin,
emptied by my sighs
exhausted by my free time
and tempting myself
with the lie that I was weak
and couldn't succeed
if I put forth the effort.
So why the change now?
You could say I've awoken
and it would be true,
'cause I was asleep before.
You could say I tried
and though it was so feeble,
I tasted success
and discovered what I have
and that I can win.
So here I go...I'm trying...
and I know the way to go.
I've been blessed these days:
leaders I didn't have then—
with experience—
are now showing me a world
I didn't dream of,
for fear of being let down
by my shortcomings
and flaws I couldn't escape.
But now I see it—
a future with horizons
stretching far and wide
as far as the eye can see.
All I need to do
is march steadily onwards
and challenge myself.
And then, in a year or two,
I'll have made my dreams come true.
How much is it worth? So much more than before, but I now realize that the cost is so small in comparison to what I could achieve.