The Journey Home

I have made many bad decisions throughout my life. A portion of these mistakes would have but a small effect towards my life, however, the ripple of some were so vast that they can still be felt to this very day. I am a man, a person, a human being who has it in his character too make bad decisions. It is very much in my nature, along with every other human being that traverses this earth, too choose wrongly, act improperly, and too fall down. I have had my share of falling down, boy have I ever. I have fallen so far down that, like a piece of earth hidden just below the green grass of life's surface, I lost sight of two very important things. I forgot who I was and I forgot the very meaning of life.

Hope can be powerful, very powerful indeed. With hope comes a desire to change, a desire to survive, and a desire to live. With hope filling my heart, I climbed up from the depths of life's cellar. I scratched at its walls, grabbing at any root, rock, or ledge so that I could pull myself up. I climbed feverishly, passionately and eagerly to reach the top and leave the bottom behind. I climbed so high that, before I knew it, I had reached the highest of highs. I was way up high, high up on confident cloud nine, soaring with the eagles through the bright blue sky. Up where a man will yet again lose sight of who he is and what the very meaning of life really is.

I have dwelled in the depths of life's barrel, then soared with the Sun high up in the sky. I sit here know pondering over the differences of these and there are none, at least not any with a significant meaning. They both had their fair share of turmoil??s, perils, and hardships. I??ve now realized that I have no desire to fly in the sky or dig down in the dirt. I would much rather be right here in the middle, with my feet firmly planted to the ground. You see, I've learned that life isn't about how high you can fly, nor is it about being too low. With my feet firmly planted on the floor, I now see life's meaning and who I truly am.

The meaning to life, at least through my eyes, is to simply live your life with happiness. If you find your happiness, that inner peace which lies within you, the one that assures you: no matter what turmoil??s might lay in wait, despite any perils you might face, and regardless to all the hardships life will surely bring, a smile will form on your face because you just know that everything is going to be ok.

I am me, it's really that simple. I am not the man others might like me to be, nor am I the man that I have pretended to be.
If you have fallen, fallen as far as one can fall. You are beaten, battered, and bruised from this fall and are too weak to rise again. You look up to see a man with a warm smile on his face and a hand extended out to you. I am that man and I have seen your fall, watched your tumble, and I would like you to know that: I have walked a mile in your shoes, my friend. I have been down where you have fallen, and I would like to offer you my hand and pull you back up from there. I know what life is like in that barrel and no human being that walks upon this earth should be left to dwell within the bottom of those depths so please, take my hand and let me pull you up out of there, my friend.