it takes courage to truly live life {a poem}

Deep down inside
 You know it. 
You're taking the easy way out. 

The way that leads to sameness
 following the masses
 never fully choosing
 always feeling

 the warm breath
 of something more
 against your back
 but never turning around 
for fear that it will blaze
 and scorch
 until nothing is left of you
 but the true diamond core 
and losing yourself that way
 all those layers
 even knowing, suspecting
 that they are not what really truly matters
 that scares you more
 than living a life of sameness
 and following the masses
 and never really truly
 stepping onto the path
 that will take you from there
 to here. To you. 

So what do you choose?
 To be safe
 or to be sorry
 when you're old and grey
 that you are going to die
 with your song still inside you
 and yearning for the days
 when you felt the warm breath of potentiality
 against your back
 and knowing 
you had a choice.

_{First published January 4 2016 (on Facebook). Copyright Kathleen Saelens.}