Don't Look Down (They Say)

standing in acceptance
and holding on to hope
feels like an impossible
stretch some days
when you are pacing
in circles over the same peaks
and valleys
and you can barely remember
who you were before
and all you know is that
your destination has changed
and you can't imagine where
you will end up
you are frightened
and they tell you
not to look down
but sometimes you need to
and being realisic about
where you are is not always
the same as giving up
hope will always be there
to catch you
a sunrise on the horizon
when nothing else seems certain
and the world demands
everything you have
to put your foot down
in front of the other
pacing to the beat
of your own ebbs and flows
a step or two
on the days you can
and on the days you can't
when the weariness and pain
and temptation to let go
just to close your eyes
for a moment
is overwhelming
because you cannot see
ahead and there is a fog
over everything, anyway
on days like this
you cannot see how far
you have come
and even the people cheering you on
become imposing shapes
and it is impossible
to be seen
sometimes you need
to look down
and take some time
to breathe, to see
to accept
where you are
and the unkown
is not weakness
acknowledging your fear
or that you are
lost is not letting go
of hope
you can still get there
to greener pastures
your future is vibrant
and waiting for you
if you just reach out
a little at a time
through the fog
you'll find there are others
travelling beside you
on journeys of their own
and it is easier to accept
where you are when you are not
alone
they each have struggles
stories to share
experience
and understanding
and when you need to put down
your dreams and destinations
and rest in the moment
your companions will hold hope
for you, for the future
for the paths still to be
explored and destinations
to be unlocked
there are maps and tools
to be shared and expanded
because when you open up
the fog lifts a little
and there are people
who can help you
to accept the present
and see possibilities
and when we see each other
we can move forward
together