I’m currently reading Awakening Joy by James Baraz & Shoshana Alexander. They include this poem in their inspiring book and it seemed fitting to add this to my blog on Valentine’s Day.

Choosing Life by Danna Faulds

The downward spiral starts.
Self-doubt and darkness
vie for center stage, while
I, the passive, drowning
one, waiting for my demise.

Just as I sink beneath the
waves of my despair a
thought arises. Why go
there? I’ve made this
trip a thousand times,
and it leads nowhere.

I’m choosing life. The
darkness lifts just a little.
I’m choosing life. The
downward spiral slows,
then stops. I’m lifted up
and buoyant now, not
shrinking from the truth.

Okay, I’m not perfect,
and reality certainly
doesn’t look like
what I’d choose. And
maybe that’s the only
point – to ride the spirals
down and up, and make
the choice for life.