The devil and the angel

On each shoulder, famously, rest an angel and a devil
Fighting for your delicate soul
They argue with each other for you to take your angle
To achieve their eternal goal

I love the poetry of this, the great debate that rages
Just behind the eyes
But this fact has also been true throughout the ages
One we should all realise

The devil is not on our shoulder, but inside our head
The devil is simply me and you
We like to pretend such evil couldn't be ourselves
Surely that couldn't be true!

The angel is not on our shoulder, but inside our head
The angel is simply me and you
We like to pretend such virtue couldn't be ourselves
Surely that couldn't be true!

We have potential so vast it goes beyond what we've seen
We struggle to see it all
We are good people. We are bad people. We're everything in between.
We are the rise and fall

Don't be afraid to prevent yourself from doing great harm.
Don't be scared to admit you have done great good.
You will ride the waves of anger, passion, and even calm.
Through it all, you will have been yourself. Just, be the best yourself you could.

Some days, life is struggle.

Some days, life is struggle.
It happens, but the day must go on.

It can be because of bad brain chemistry that day
It can be because you forgot to eat or had to get up early
It can be just a lot of things being thrown at you at once
It can be for no reason at all

On the bad days which are good, you can fight back
Take on one task at a time
Look back at sunset (or later)
And realise the day was conquered

Other times, you aren't so lucky
And so that day will pass
The next day will come
One day, hopefully, you will find a day without struggle

This is an acknowledgement of the bad days
And a celebration of the good
To the people we trust to help us make it through
Even if they're going through a struggle-day themselves

Some days, life is struggle.
It happens, but the day must go on

Prove Myself to Myself

I still haven't proven myself to myself
And I'm tryin' to figure out if that's a good thing
If I find I've lived up to internal expectations
Will I stop my inward looking?

It would be nice, by now, to feel goal achieved
Tick, done, I've finished what I begun at age zero
Be working comfortable with hard-earned skills
Tackling tasks after completing the journey of a hero

Maybe changing a bit here and there
But something close to the finished product on display
Alas, alas! I feel like a first (maybe second) draft
Still pencils lines sketching my path with dismay

Maybe that's good. Maybe there's a balance.
Maybe I'm spending too much time in my head.
Stop thinking expectations of myself,
And just embracing the unexpected journey instead.

I don't know if I'll ever prove myself to myself.
I hear he remembers all your mistakes and regret
But when you carve your own path,
It's some of the only feedback you get

***

So I will try to be a bit kinder to this work-in-progress
And let him realise that the end goal is but one on the path
Beyond goals, there are more important things to embrace.
People to love. Memories to remember. Moments to Laugh.

For those who are uncomfortable

If I see a bear walk from afar, I do not retreat from fear
Just because I am aware what will happen if it draws near
We are adverse to danger, because it can cause us harm
While it it true that fear can help us, we can also act while calm

I know this sounds so simple, but I see it every day
Folk ask if I'm uncomfortable because I act a certain way
No. Simply based off all the evidence that I know
I'm acting in the kindest way that I think I can show

I know they're trying to be considerate, I would be the same
So I'm trying to do my best to ensure I don't cause shame
Just simply and straightforwardly explaining my action
That my motives are considered and not an emotional reaction

But my ethics don't change because I'm tired (to the best of my ability)
Even if it seems strange or unsocial, I'll try my best to act consistently.