“AFTER A WHILE”
 After a while you learn the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
and company doesn’t always mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts and presents aren’t promises
and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up
and your eyes ahead with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
And you learn to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns
if you get too much so you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong,
you really do have worth and you learn
and you learn, with every goodbye, you learn…

AFTER “AFTER A WHILE”
 After ‘after a while’, you want to hold a hand
not to chain a soul but to enjoy its company,
and you want someone’s lips to kiss,
not because you are lonely but because you are happy,
and you want to give presents and you want to make promises.
After ‘after a while’, you begin to accept your defeats
like an adult, but like a child,
will want someone to listen and care,
and you want someone who will build roads with you today
so maybe you can pave the way for your future together.
After ‘after a while’, you want someone’s sunshine and warmth,
but also accept the rain and the cold,
and you want to give flowers picked from your own garden.
And when your garden is picture perfect,
you want it to be more than a picture
even if it means having to be imperfect
because you want someone in it to stay and to live.
Then you’ll see that there is such a thing as love… and that you were made to live in someone else’s garden… and you’ll know that there is more to life than yourself.

“AND NOW”
You realize that no matter how tightly you hold,
if you’re meant to let go, you can
And then you will understand that love gives you reasons
to understand even the most complicated situations
And you will grow older believing that just because you have convictions
doesn’t mean you’re always right
You will remember lips because of the smiles that made your day, the words that touched your soul, not only because of the sweet kisses
And as you graciously accept defeat and absorb the meaning of lessons learned,
You feel that you are finally being the person you never thought you’d be

So, armed with courage, strength and confidence, you will face the world head on… With or without an army behind you
Because you know your worth and that alone is an armor
With more heartbreaks you will cry.
But after every heartache, you will rise

 -Veronica Shoftshall, 1971