My Heart

I have gone where others have traveled,
Yet I follow no one.
For no one's path is right for me.
It is my heart who leads me through life,
And it has yet to steer me wrong.
Even through the bramble of difficult days I am happy to go,
Each cut of my mental skin or chip of my soul,
Are all lessons that needed to be taught.
Lessons I needed to learn.

You can not experience great joy
Till sadness pierces your armor.
You can not become wise
Without lessons learned.
With each curve in the path,
The picture becomes clearer.
I become stronger, wiser.
Turn left or turn right,
The heart will know.
It will guide me through new territory.
The mind is not always sure,
But the heart is certain.

This path is sometimes smooth,
Glossy pebbles shinning your way,
Warm summer breezes whispering in your ears.
Enjoy these quiet reflective moments.
Just around the corner,
Stop- I hear loud and clear in my mind.
But the heart says continue,
Not with caution, but with courage.
The path here is jagged, not as easily maneuvered,
The wind howls- seeming to lift your feet from under you.
Sometimes the most intimidating path,
Is also the most beneficial.
Your senses heighten,
Your mind processes all the information,
But your heart,
Always your heart,
Knows the way.

~Jacqueline A. Wittek-Maxson