Trying to get ahead
but I can't silence all these thoughts inside of my head.
Looking everywhere for a place to reset. Get a grip.
But my demons are screaming so loud it's like I'm on a bad trip. They say god never gives us more than we can take.
But I don't know how much longer I can hold my breath
before I find myself at the bottom of the lake.
I clutch my chest gasping for air,
and with my hand on my heart,
I pray for another day; a chance to prove I deserve a new start.
I close my eyes one last time and let myself go.
The demons leave my mind, body and soul.
I feel a rush come over and open my eyes
to realize it was all a dream; I'm still alive.
Now that I made it through, my mission is clear.
I know what to do. I now have a purpose:
use my experiences to help the broken and scarred find their faith, and help them believe loving, living, fighting is not a mistake.

My mind wants to sleep,
But my body stays awake.
I'm starting to wonder
If my body's a *******
Because all it does is ache

It'll never be easy
To say what you have to say.
To do what you need to do.
But that's why it's so important
that you see it through.

I may not be going anywhere fast.
But you can bet wherever I go, I won't be last. Because life is not a race; There's no shame with living life at your own pace.
It doesn't matter if you don't move out,
get married, or have a kid until you're 32.
You still have time to make the most of the time you have with the people you love
who love you too.

Things don't matter until they do.
I learned that the day I lost you.

I'm not interested in what you'll say.
I'm interested in what you'll do

Love. Life.
Birth. Death.
Cancer. Pain.
Something I hope you keep in mind
is how you react to stressful events
is not necessarily a reflection of you
as a person or guardian.

It's not the end of the world.
It's not even the end of the day.
Just because the sky is gray
Doesn't mean the sun can't come out
As if to say "it's okay."
Remember. We see the world in color.
If you don't like the ones you see,
Just close your eyes and breathe.
Please don't give up, and I promise you'll see it's not the end.

When I was a kid, all I wanted was to find somewhere I belonged.
Only to find out later, I had that all along.
Because you can’t spell belong without “be.”
And to be is to exist.
I exist. You exist. We all exist. So, we all belong.
But sometimes, it’s not enough.
You can still feel down. You can still feel alone.
And when that happens, just know that, for what it’s worth, you’re not the first who’s felt that way.

I may not know what's coming.
Some days, I can't say that I care.
But that's because I've paved and walked
the road to hell and back,
and lived to tell the tale.
If you're on that road today,
it's not too late to turn back.
Close your eyes. Breathe in, and say "not today."

It's not your job to prove them wrong.
Sometimes, just walking away
Says more than words ever could.
It's not your job to fight
In a fight that's not yours.
But sometimes, it's what's right.
It's not your job to forgive someone
Or take them back.
Listen to your heart,
You will be on the right track.
Your only job is to be yourself.
To do what's best for you, your health,
Your happiness.

In a world where employers
and broken systems treat you like a number, and you always feel like number 2,
I hope that some day,
someone tells you that you're their number 1, and they become yours too.

To the dancer in the dark: what you do
isn't a walk in the park.
So don't be afraid to let someone
shine a light on you.
To the singer in the shower:
you know as well as anyone
how music can heal.
So let people hear your power.
To the sketchbook artist:
one person's trash is another's treasure.
So, please: don't throw something away
even if it doesn't give you pleasure.
To everyone else:
you all had dreams at some point.
If you're friends with artists, respect the hustle. Respect the passion.
Help keep the dream alive.
Because dreaming is still
how the strong survive.
But they can't do it all alone.

It's hard to live for the moment when you're dying by the second.
It's hard to dream about the years ahead when you know that someday, it will all come to an end.
It's hard to talk to people when you're secretly afraid of your own shadow.
It's hard, but if you find something that makes you happy, you'll be amazed how much you grow.

"I wish I wasn't so different
from everyone."
"You've got more in common
With people than you think."
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
"Well, once upon a time, we were smaller.
Then, we grew taller. Or rounder.
Maybe more than we'd like, but we all grew stronger."
"Well, I don't feel very strong right now."
"And that's okay. We all fall. Sometimes like a sack of bricks.
Sometimes with the grace of a sunset.
But at some point, we all get up.
And when you're ready to stand, I think you'll find
There's fight left in you yet."

For some, the world is black, white, and gray.
For some, the world may be gay.
For some, it can be hard
To find a reason to stay.
For some, the world is big.
For others, it's small.
For some, the world has
a billion people.
And for others,
there aren't many people at all.
For some, faith and love for God
Can get them through the darkest days
Some have other ways to cope.
Whatever world you live in,
It's one and the same.
Your world, my world, the world,
They all exist on the same planet
With the same name:
Earth

Can I hold your hand once more
Before you walk
through the next door
And leave me behind forevermore?

If we had just one more hour, one more day, could we find another way?
Could we find the words to say
what we've always wanted to say?
Could we find a reason to stay?
And yes. It's true that one more hour,
one more day could make things worse.
But isn't it worth the risk
if you can find closure? Worth?

Half of the world sleeps
While the other half wakes up.
One more light goes out

I'm not one to judge.
Hard to hold a grudge.
I promise,  anything you want to say
Will be safe with me.
I know it's hard to trust.
They left you in the dust.
But don't let that stop you
From trying one more time.

Dreaming about the future
While living in the past
Is a one way ticket to madness

only time will tell
how far you've come.
Only time will tell
How far you'll go.
Only time will tell
How much you've learned.
Only time will tell
How much you've grown.
Only time will tell
How much you've lived.
Only time will tell
When you'll die.
But since we don't know
What time will say,
Let's try to make the most
Of every day.

Feeling numb from my head to my feet.
Like a musician who can't hear the beat.
But that's what happens
when you're making your name in the streets.
Can't trust anyone you meet.
So where do you start
when you can't trust anyone,
let alone your own heart?
You take your time.
Think everything through.
Because only you know
what's best for you

On the surface, love and hate
May seem black and white.
But that's not quite right.
They're feelings.
And feelings can change.
They're also like humans.
On the surface, people may seem
Scary or really nice.
But give them time,
And they may make you think twice.
First impressions are important.
But take them with a grain of salt.
And if you get fooled,
Just know it's not your fault.

You think that I'm an open book.
But you've never read between the pages. You've never seen the ups and downs
because depression breeds in stages.
That's not to say that every smile is a lie.
But you deserve to know that sometimes,
my feelings are different
than the ones I let meet your eyes.

Holidays are usually exciting.
But for people who are depressed,
Holidays can be exhausting. Excruciating.
They can be so stressed
Trying to wear a happy face,
They might have a hard time
Eating anything on their plate.
So, if you feel this way,
I have a challenge for you.
It's called operation happier holidays.
Instead of protecting them,
Tell your loved ones if you're not okay.
They may be upset, confused, or even angry at first.
But almost everyone secretly wishes
For their loved ones to be happy and healthy. So do it for them.
But do it for yourself too.
Because you deserve to be happy.

You seek Opportunities
But if you work hard, be patient,
Opportunities will look for you.

The opposite of war isn't peace.
It's creation.
So take this time of isolation
To make something that inspires
A generation.
A poem. A movie. A song.
Something that reminds us
That even though we feel alone,
We belong.

There may be times
When we don't see eye to eye.
And our hearts may never beat as one.
But that doesn't mean
We can't work together.
After all, they say opposites attract.
So, what do you say we sit back
And let the chemicals react.

The future is ahead
and the past is behind.
It's important it stays that way
So our minds can stay organized.

I want to help, but I don't know how.
I want a world better than the one I live in now.
Faced with so many options, I'm afraid to choose
Because like it or not, the future's ours to lose.

Years ago, I was a teen.
I was afraid to make friends
Because kids were mean.
So one day,
I decided to wander around mymind to see if there
Was any strength i could find
I thought if I could be strong
It wouldn't hurt when they
Called me fat and stupid.
That once they realized
It didn't affect me anymore
They would get bored
And move along.
I thought I knew where I
Needed to go but got lost.
I found myself somewhere
I didn't know.
Finally, i found a door
And when I rushed through,
All I saw was darkness.
Nothing more.
I tried to find my way back
But after awhile, I made myself so scared i got dizzy and fell. Then everything went black. When I came to,
I realized trying to ignore my feelings wouldn't make me strong. That it wasn't my job to prove they were wrong. There in the darkness, I realized I was
Strong all along.
When I believed in myself,
I got back my sight.
It felt like a lifetime
But I finally found my way
Out of the darkness and into the light

Pain has always been there
To help remind us that we're alive.
But not all pain hurts the same.
A broken heart starts with a shock.
A bullet, a hole of fire.
A stab or slice, a sting.
A punch or kick, an ache.
But the worst pain isn't physical.
It's psychological.
Over time, you may forget the pain
Of being shot, stabbed, or punched.
But you'll never forget the words
That were said or the fear you felt.
The point is,
There are different types of pain.
But none of them hurt
or heal the same.

Bring on the rain.
Bring on the pain.
So I feel like I have a chance
That there's something
I could gain.

I'm standing on the edge
Looking out past the shore
Hoping if I follow the horizon
I'll find something more.
Something worth fighting for.
All I want to do is leave behind the hurt and the hate
But deep down, I know it will follow me wherever I go like a panther in the night lying in wait

The past is not the present
The present is not the future
Which means you can be
more than your past

"What are you thinking about?"
"You. Me. The world. Life. Happiness."
You smile and say "is that all?"
"You know me.
I think about everything.
What are you thinking about?"
"Well, I WAS worrying.
About bills. Insurance. Our health. The future.
But then you distracted me."
"And what are you thinking about now?"
"That I wish I had your optimism.
But for now, no more worrying. It's time to breathe.
I'm just glad to be here in this moment with you."

I don't know what to say when I look at the people of today. We acknowledge the world's gotten worse and still act like it's ok. The people of today fight in wars for reasons it seems they don't understand and ask that we support them while they invade a foreign land. Yes I know the people of yesterday did this as well when they killed innocent people in America before they burned in hell but what the people of today don't seem to understand is that the best way to heal is to take each other by the hand. It's been 18 years since that day in 2001. Now it's time to stop fighting so we can take care of everyone. People of today, please keep something in mind. The people of tomorrow are coming and we need to ensure they won't be blind. If we don't tell them how to learn from the past, the people of tomorrow might be the last. People of today, carpe diem. Seize the day. Come home so we can sing, heal and be gay.

When you were younger,
maybe you were told to hold your tongue,
hold your breath until you got older.
But now that you're here,
now that you've figured out how
and when to say what you want to say, someone has given you the same advice.
So once again, you hold your breath,
even though it hurts and scares you.
And now, you wonder "what's next?"
Now, I'm going to be the one giving advice:
if you want to be confident, independent,
and able to stand up for yourself,
understand that you're the only one
who can give you permission to breathe,
and you've earned it.

You live where you die 
and die where you live.
You give what you've got
When that's all you have to give.
Don't be afraid to feel like a star looks; so light, bright, high as a kite.
And remember if you feel someone's bite is worse than their bark, the bark is usually worse than the bite.

In the shower,
I can't help but grin
as the water burns my skin.
I can't deny that the pleasure and pain
Drives me insane.
It's funny how simply standing
Under an artificial rain
Can bring so much peace
And offer access to the deepest
Thoughts in our brains.
And then you turn it off,
And your body steams
As you watch it all go down the drain.
Then you get out,
And you can't believe you're cold again.
Just keep moving forward, and until then, remember when.

In a world where power is the ultimate reward, remember: you can be just as effective
with a shield as you can with a sword

People can be mean. People can be kind. People can be calm. But when stressed,
they can feel like they're losing their minds. People can be right. People can be wrong. People can learn. Some people find out
there's more than one way to be strong.
People can be happy.
People can be depressed.
Sometimes, people need to hear
"your best is enough."
People can be heroes.
People can do hard things.
But you're not just people. You're you.
Which means you can be or do
almost anything.

Would you rather be the sun or the moon? Before you answer, let's recap what they do. It's been said that "with great power comes great responsibility." This just so happens to describe the sun perfectly. It provides plants and people with life and energy. But too much can make your savior your enemy. The moon is a security guard. It keeps things running, and it can be dangerous to people who work on the water if it's not out, but it can relax and enjoy when people say "it's stunning." In the end, I guess the question is, do you want to be admired for your power or your beauty?

Pressure in my head
Pressure in my heart
All this pressure from society
Is tearing me apart.
They try to tell me what to want.
Try to tell me who to be.
Starting to feel like freedom's
Just a fallacy.
If I can't be by your side
With a thought to call my own,
Maybe it's time for me to leave.
Maybe I'm better off alone.
I thought I'd miss your kiss.
I thought I'd miss your smile.
And I won't lie,
They cross my mind
every once in a while.
But then I remember who I am.
I remember who I want to be.
and I remember how good it feels
When the pressure's off of me.

There's this feeling inside.
It's something I've never experienced before.
But suddenly, I feel so alive.
I looked it up and it's called pride.
It all started the night you left.
I got a phone call from one of your friends.
When I hung up, I knew it was the beginning of the end.
You told me you loved me.
And when I realized you lied,
I crawled into bed as I screamed then cried.
After i let go of the anger and the pain, it was like the sun came out and dried up all the rain.
I found the strength to let you go.
It's ok if you feel bad but I want to thank you.
You taught me I'm stronger than I know

seeing the fire in your eyes
Is as hypnotic
As watching lightning crack
Across the sky.
And the power of your smile
Could bring disco back in style.
The way you move your feet? Oof!
Girl, there's no way
I can stay in my seat.
So what's the problem?
You make me feel this way
And I don't even know your name

I won't pretend I can keep every promise I make. And I know good intentions can only take you so far. But I promise...it's OK if you need to let go

Memories. Dreams. Memories of Dreams. They're all proof life isn't lived completely linearly. That life isn't purely physical.
It doesn't have to be defined by what we see, smell, touch. We don't have to limit ourselves so much. Who cares if something seems impossible? We've been proven wrong before. There's still so much we don't know. So don't be afraid to explore.

The hardest lesson to learn
Is that hiding your feelings
Protects no one.
The hardest thing to accept
Is that you don't need to protect anyone.