flowing molten core

the lava of life

stirs

and the magma falls

down shaft hewn from the stone

into multiple vats

of triple iron layered cauldrons

the molds as well

were made resilient

enough for the mountain fire

which burned as the sun's heart

the aged smiths of all known yore

skillfully filled each one

numerous times

the younger ones assisted

for one day

they too would be old

it could be a process

both this physical and

this emotional cooling

yet nothing earned

nothing learned

and the most integral part

was the unity in knowing

hardy Smithmetal built everyone's homes

Strength.

Now there’s an interesting topic to write about.

We all think we know what strength is. When we hear the word, we are immediately faced with the image of an athletic, god-like being; someone fit and in shape, someone who can lift a ton of weight and use all the machines at the gym like it’s no big deal.

But given a moment to think on, we are drawn instantly to the abstract idea of the word. The single mother, working two jobs to support her two children that were left behind by a husband that “just couldn’t cope”. The cancer survivor who gets up everyday and braces for another day of struggle and pain. The chubby girl, who walks into class with all eyes on her, and sits down uncomfortably in a sea of judging eyes.

But what about the other kind of strength? The strength of looking someone in the eye, someone you may know, love or trust, and telling them no. The strength of walking away, when every fiber in your body is telling you to stay. What about the kind of strength it takes to stand up in the face of what is wrong, and refuse to bend to conformity or societal pressures?

Strength is so much more than fitness or just traditional fights.

Strength is getting up every day and having the courage to live. Strength is taking every punch that life can throw at you and staring it boldly in the face and muttering that timeless line, “may I have another?” It’s walking blindly into the face of undeniable failure and refusing to back down, because you know it’s the right thing to do. It’s doing what is right when everyone around you is doing what is wrong.

Strength. It’s all about character.

Strength

Strength is when you feel the snap of the arm

Strength is when you feel the snap of the sanity

Strength is when you feel the snap of humanity

Strength is when you feel the laughter bubbling up in your throat

Strength is when you feel the not caring not affect you at all.

Strength is when you find your weaknesses and use them to your advantage.

How easily human beings are damaged

How easily I can warp and twist their brains, their bodies

Strength

Strength is when you feel the bending of wills towards you

Strength is when you feel the pleasure of power in your hands, in your mind

Strength is when you feel the satisfaction of getting what you want without getting your hands dirty

Strength is when you feel the triumph but never the sadness.

Strength is believing in yourself always, caring only for yourself and being fit.

Strength is when it is survival of the fittest and you are one of the fittest.

How easily the mind can be deceived

How easily I can gain what I want

How easily I lie and lie

How easily I believe my own tales

How easily this can all be nothing at all

It took all the strength I had to let the take you away from me.

Your body was lifeless

I was sobbing

I could not breathe

I could barely stand

I could not see through the blur of my tears

My heart has never been that broken

I had never felt that kind of ache.

The ache of severe loss.

I was not ready to say goodbye

It took everything in me to let go

The universe was testing me.

It was seeing if all the fire it had put me through

Turned me into a diamond

Or if one more ounce of pressure would break me and turn me to dust.

I never thought I could do that,

Let you go..

The tears poured

My heart broke

But I survived.

I am strong,

Yes, I am stronger than goodbye.

-AshleyAnne

This past year has served me shit on a silver platter.

My ex husband abandoned our children. No contact whatsoever. My oldest son was arrested, and will be tried soon to determine his sentence. Another son tried to commit suicide twice. AND my daughter told me she had been sexually molested for years.

SHIT!

As a mother, the only parent, I have to be strong for my children. They worry when they see me getting depressed.

...."you never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice".

I have never felt so weak in my life!

Getting out of bed each day... going to work each morning.... coming home....cooking meals... Is the strongest thing I can do.

I may have been served shit, but once that platter gets cleaned, it will be worth a lot!