Paths Poem by Jackie Trujillo

When we are born we look at the
World through such innocent eyes

The first few clean steps on a new path
we grow in life expecting clarity through everything

we walk through fog together and apart
When we trip on the stone there is always someone there

To help us back up again
Someone to hold our hand and clean our wounds

When we are teenagers the path only gets harder to walk

The temptation gets so great
You are almost running off the path

With good friends and good choices
You regain your strength

The path that keeps us safe
and guides us to our internal north

We grow older, wiser
The path easier to walk

We focus on the trees
and flowers we see passing by

as our paths come to and end we find
The scenery was all that it could be

and the path now worn was a good one
and we take comfort

The end is near, the path in front
of us is gone

So we step onto the clouds
To look back on our worn paths

We look ahead to the clouds
and watch the gates of heaven close