What Does it Mean to be Strong?

Strength

What does it even mean?

Does is come from the inside?

Or is it something external?

I’ve been chasing after it

Wanting to hide behind it

It seems so elusive

So easy to lose

For bodies age

And people grow old

And strength grows old with us

Or does it?

What does it mean to be strong?

To be able to lift more than others?

To run faster?

Endure longer?

Is that strength?

Is that what I’m trying to attain?

Or is it something deeper?

Because I am strong

I can lift and I can jump and I can run

But it doesn’t seem to be enough

It’s never strong enough

I don’t want to keep seeking after it

It’s exhausting

Trying to make your body do things it’s not made for

Trying to attain the impossible

But is there something inside me?

Do I have strength there?

I didn’t think I did

But maybe I was wrong

For look what I’ve endured

Look what I’ve walked through

Did it take me out?

No

Did I choose to quit?

No

Maybe that’s strength

Maybe I really am strong

I don’t have to keep seeking it and

pushing myself to find it

It’s already found

I thought I was weak

That I wasn’t enough

But maybe there’s more to me than I think

I don’t have to hide behind the external

I can be myself

And let it shine out of me

It’s not on the outside of me, it’s on the inside

And this is the kind of strength that never goes away

It actually grows stronger with time

This is the kind of strength I want

This is the kind of strength I have

What am I afraid of?

I thought I was weak

I thought I had to hide it

But there is no weakness in me

I am strong enough to walk through the pain

I am strong enough to survive

And no one is giving up.

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