Differences Poem by Linda Engwall

Somewhere along the way
I came to the conclusion that my silence
My non confronting ways
Was a sign of weakness on my part
A character flaw, if you will

I struggled now more with my motive for not speaking up
When at the same time others would
Then the outcome of it

Truth is I come with baggage here
Seeing what anger and lashing out did
To my parents
I recoiled from it

Yet in some ways I surmise that is exactly
Why it comes to me repeatedly
To learn to make peace with it

How I deal with situations
Is going to look different than yours
And that is okay