A Life Well-Lived Poems

I can't wait to hold you in my arms
And kiss your tiny nose.
Cherish every moment,
Knowing just how fast you'll grow.

In the blink of an eye, time will pass by
And you'll be a little girl
Trying to find your place
Without a map in this big world.

Every road is unfamiliar,
Every experience brand new.
So many paths that lie before you,
Not knowing which to choose.

I don't have all the answers,
But there are tips that I can give.
If you want a life with no regrets,
I'll tell you how to live.

Wake up grateful every day,
And know that you are loved.
Be certain that you matter
And will always be enough.

Stay a kid for as long as you can;
Don't try to grow up too fast.
It's such a short stint in the span of your life,
So enjoy it while it lasts.

Always be sincere and honest;
Consistently stick to your word.
Stand up for what is fair and right.
Use your voice and make sure you are heard.

Believe in yourself and what you can do.
Be assertive and show that you're strong.
When you make a mistake, as we all do,
Be the first to admit that you're wrong.

Attitude is everything,
So make yours positive.
When the hard times fall upon you,
It's the best way you can live.

So don't worry about the small things,
Or cry when milk gets spilled.
The hard times aren't as hard
When your glass is halfway filled.

Be aware of your own beauty,
Without being vain.
Your looks will one day fade;
It's what inside you that remains.

Dare to be different, your own unique style.
Live only the story you wrote,
Be true to yourself and don't let your likes
Be based on the popular vote.

Forgive and forget,
Without keeping track.
When you hold on to the past,
The past holds you back.

Be brave, try new things;
It's ok if you fall.
The only way you fail
Is to not try at all.

Aspire to greatness,
Find a passion to pursue.
If you're willing to work,
There's nothing you can't do.

Ignore all the people
Who tell you you can't.
And if you have any questions, just ask.
Love, your Aunt

If you're tired of doing nothing
Rubbing your eyes until they're red
Getting bored and feeling blank
With no thoughts in your head

Wondering what to do
Staring at nowhere
Scribbling on some sheet
Sitting on the chair

Get up and do a twirl
And dance upon your feet
Greet yourself in the mirror
Or give yourself a treat

Listen to your favorite music
Cook, sing, or play
Do what you love to
Just enjoy your day

Relish the sweet silence
Let the wind blow across your face
Shower a bunch of flowers
In nature, you'll find solace

Every second counts
There is no time to waste
Make best use of all of it
For it can't be replaced

Travel, trek and hike
Get wet in the pitter patter
Smile your way, wherever you go
As all those memories matter

Life is full of moments
Moments of love and laughter
What matters is to make them special
That you'll remember after

Appreciate all experiences
Your goals you will achieve
Make each day worth it
You must live before you leave

The best day of my life,
When will it be?
When I score top grades,
Or get a meal free?

Or gain great respect
Or buy a beautiful mansion,
Or travel the world
Or live sans tension?

If I pause my assumptions
To give it a thought,
That day of my life
Is not one in the lot.

Yes, my best day
Will not be of my success,
But the day I overcome
My failure distress.

The day I treat me well,
The day I respect me,
The day I impress me,
The day I feel free.

The day I am determined,
The day I stand confident,
The day I feel proud of me,
The day I am ardent.

The day when I love me,
The day when I stop strife.
That will surely be
The best day of my life.

There are times to hurry.
Some things in life call for speed.
But more than ever, I'm learning
That pace is really what I need.

Sometimes I'll ask myself,
What the haste is all about?
When strength is easier maintained
Than regained after burnout.

There certainly will always be
That job that needs to get done.
New challenges will always rise,
So will the battles to be won.

It's healthier to make a plan,
To give to God each new day.
To appreciate the gift of life,
And spend some time to pray.

To rise and stride into the day,
With a goal clearly defined.
And give my best to whatever role
It is that I've been assigned.

To make the space to savour
The joy of a task complete
Before hopping on the next challenge,
To take the time to breathe.

To fit in little things that matter
Than how fast I'd move each day.
Like the lifted mind or grateful heart
I would leave along the way.

To break lofty intents into bits,
And take them one at a time.
To simply take each day as it comes,
And steadily enjoy the climb.

slow down when your world
is spinning too fast
when day and night are stuck in dusk
make sure to enjoy life
soak in the sunshine
admire the moonlight
witness how the clouds gather
and disperse
how the wind chases the leaves
across the street
treasure the little moments
that world will still spin
but you won’t fall off for taking
a well-deserved break

We are on this planet for a limited span of time;
Validity of our life's visa can end anytime.

Begin your day with enthusiasm and end with satisfaction;
Work toward achieving your goals and do follow your passion.

Waste not your energy on negativity;
Find your opportunity to be better when faced with difficulty.

Celebrate your honest efforts like you will when you attain success.
Failures shall be there; learn and keep going, nevertheless.

Avail the most of this very present;
Never shall return the passing moment.

The future is surrounded by clouds of uncertainty;
Let hope and faith be your guide till eternity.

Love someone as best you can,
but love.

And have a dog,
for it can show you the truest love.

Know God,
and life will make more sense.

Accept that things may fail, 
but do all that you can.

Learn, and live on the better for it.
Learn to smile.

Respect and find good in all you can,
and try to avoid the rest.

Be true to yourself,
but also serve others.

Lead by example
and with care.

Find comfort in working good earth,
and grow as well yourself.

Be there for your family,
but wait quietly.

Try to heal their hurts,
but most of all, let them grow.

Be responsible.
Be known as a truly "gentle man or woman."

Do what you know is right,
and don't forget to sing.

Live so others will say,
"That is the nicest person."

There is no greater dignity than the respect
given to one who is truly humble.

Walk where you have never been
and wonder at the beauty of this world.

Wish for the best, but work,
and for its own reward.

Give more than you receive
and share of it.

Be moderate in all things,
except goodness.

Wait your turn
and, on occasion, give it away.

Learn, if just to know,
grow wise.

Dream often,
and find a way to live your fondest.

Do all you can
never to hurt another.

Help someone daily;
it will heal your hurt as well.

Find something you enjoy;
it takes but one to make you happy.

Read,
for a book can change your life.

Write your own story,
you may change another's world.

Restore something old
and treasure it.

Reward freely,
repay always.

The greatest dignity is in the respect
given to one who is humble.

Obey and serve,
when it is due.

Always do what is right,
but do so ever with kindness.

Be confident in yourself
and humble before all others.

Befriend those who need,
for they can be the truest.

Love wholly and long
one who is worthy.

Give and receive love fully,
for that is the breath of life.

Be kind to all who will accept it,
and be fair to all others.

Beware that some are not good
and avoid, but never fear them.

Believe in something better,
and live to make it true.

Dig in good earth;
sow new life.

Reap with pride;
cook for pleasure.

Live fully within each moment you have,
for time will not return the chance.

Laugh out loud,
listen always.

Know the taste of longing
and the joy of play.

Listen to the music
you can find in silence.

Sing for the joy of it,
dance for its freedom.

Pray, even when it hard to believe,
for man was not meant to be alone.

Save for tomorrow,
each day.

Share from your heart
and with your hands.

Forgive as you can,
for we are all only human.

Accept what you cannot change,
remember warmly and wisely.

Stand for something that matters,
treasure memories most of all.

Trust when you can,
but doubt when you ought.

Know that despite it all,
life is good.

Start off with faith and trust in God.
Then add courage; you'll need a lot.
Take a few dreams and lots of inspiration;
Mix them with passion and dedication.

Flavor with a spoonful of optimism,
As well as with sufficient vision.
Throw in some rewarding work,
With satisfaction as a perk.

A pint of perseverance is necessary,
While the amount of patience may vary.
Don't forget an ounce of thankfulness,
And a full cup of love and tenderness.

Add a few quality friends to the mix,
And a pinch of adventure, just for kicks.
Also, you need three cups of good thoughts,
Zested with a million smiles or thereabouts.

Joy and laughter are indispensable,
And a tad of hope, to be sensible.
Throw in heaps of understanding,
Because folks can be demanding.

Season with lots and lots of time,
And some deep questions to ponder.
Then pour over a sense of awe,
And lastly add some childlike wonder.

Top off with family and readiness to forgive;
This is the recipe for a life well-lived!

We have but a short time
On this earth,
So value your life
For what it's really worth.

Your life has purpose.
God sent you on a mission.
To live, to love, to learn -
Is His commission.

The world needs you.
Believe me, it's true!
Some things need doing
That only you can do.

Character matters;
Be your own person,
Your own original self,
Not someone else's version.

Develop your talents;
They are unique.
Use your time well;
Listen only to positive critique.

Go after your dreams.
Be bold. Be brave.
Swim against the stream;
It's more than okay.

The time is now
To find your passion.
Time waits for no one,
So get into action.

To be free of regret
In your old age,
Never ever forget
To fully live today!

Life is like a journey on the number 24 bus,
So welcome aboard, young one; come, sit here with the rest of us.
Let's hope you're going to be on here for more than just a while.
Look out of the window, young one, and enjoy every single mile.

Embrace each milestone, young one, each stop along the way.
Immerse yourself in childhood, each innocent, lovely day.
Think nothing of the future, of the long road up ahead.
Live each second, each minute, each turn of the wheel instead.

Don't pace the aisle, young one, yearning for miles to pass,
Until you reach the terminus when finally at last,
That day is here, the day for which you've really always strived,
The perfect day you've longed for when you've finally arrived.

Maybe the end of school days or the day of graduation,
That's when you'll be happy, when you arrive at that station,
So roll on the miles until that blessed day.
That's when life will come together; that's when you'll make hay.

Or maybe it's when you meet "the one," when you settle down.
Yes, that's the time to celebrate when you reach that town.
Or maybe life won't really start until a family comes along,
Or is to pray for retirement so really, very wrong?

The journey will be sad at times, for stops will come along,
When those we love will get off; at times we must stay strong,
As we carry on without them, as they pass the baton on,
But they are there outside the bus; they're never really gone.

So gazing out the windscreen up front at the road as it bends,
Don't think about tomorrow, wondering where the journey ends.
Instead, look for today's colors, those shades of greenery,
Of all the hues along life's road, the breathtaking scenery.

Don't miss them, young one, planning for the destination.
This bus will not reverse again once it reaches the final station.

In this new year,
Let's talk more, chat less.
Let's call more, text less.
Let's meet more, Skype less.
Let's travel more, collect less.
Let's care more, ignore less.
Let's do more, gossip less.
Let's praise more, blame less.
Let's share more, accumulate less.
Let's experience more, fear less.
Let's love more, hate less.

Open heart and open mind,
On a journey of a lifetime.
Love and respect all,
Get back up when you fall.
Beat your drum like only you can;
You're already part of the band!
Shoulders back, head held high,
Smile on. Ready...set...fly!

A little bit of laughter,
A little bit of tears,
A little bit of happiness,
A little bit of fear.

They say laughter is the best medicine
And that it's ok to shed a tear.
Happiness is a great feeling,
And fear makes you stronger.

Enjoy the laughter,
Release the tears,
Embrace the happiness,
Forget the fears.

Enjoy every moment you get,
Regret NOTHING,
And always remember...LAUGH!

When all the doors shut in your face,
Have faith and continue to praise.

When you can't bear the thought of yesterday and dread tomorrow,
Carry on with grace.

If you're the last one running,
Don't look back or slow your pace.

Keep moving forward,
Disregard the pain and aches.

Life is difficult,
With many demons to chase. 

Make them your accomplice
If that's what you need to win the race.

The world has become a bitter place.
Don't become disgraced.

When life pushes you face down,
Rise up and pray.

The judge is upstairs keeping track
Of what you're carrying on your slate.

Live life in peace
And consume no hate.

So when you get to where you're going,
It will be worth your wait.