A life full of promise

But filled with obstacles unimagined.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

What can the human heart withstand?

Is the unrealized goal of goals around the corner?

Or is this the outcome for this difficult life?

Dreams so hard fought for,

Dashed in the blink of an eye.

How long can the optimism of earned character

Push a soul to strive for the final prize?

Inner strength, confidence and supreme self knowledge

Have been the consolation prize for this life effort, so far.

At what point does the human psyche

Need tangible rewards for a life so hard fought?

Perseverance is less than sufficient to express

The tenacity and commitment to this ultimate success.

How many rivers can breach their dams?

How many souls can also breach the obstacles

That are placed one by one in front of each other?

Only the greatest of rivers remains untamed by any obstacle.

Is the same true for the human soul?

Are great souls untamable or do they resemble the beast of nature?

Even the greatest of beasts can be tamed by unyielding suffering.

Does a great human soul resemble the river or the beast?

Great victories are not realized without first experiencing great loss

To succeed is great.

To fail first and succeed later is the greatest gift of all.

The gift of both success and self-knowledge are then realized.

To truly know thyself is the greatest power a man can possess.

To push the human spirit to levels thought to be impossible

Whether in victory or defeat, is an unquantifiable prize of its own.

Feel pity for the common man whom will never know this joy and power.

Some men seek a state of Nirvana, Others hope for everlasting life.

Both can be realized in this life on this earth.

The only cost is dedication to self-improvement and self-sacrifice.

To be satisfied with oneself is to die.

To live for another life instead of this life is unfortunate.

Man does not need laws or religious dogma to guide his way.

Every man knows the right way, its just harder for some to follow the path.

To think that man has to be taught wrong from right is absurd.

Accepted human morality is a constant throughout every human civilization.

The enlightened soul needs not direction

Or promise of rewards to live a good life.

It is set forth by human instinct.

The promise of rewards outside this life

Make it easy to stray in this life.

For failure to live a good life can be forgiven in the next life.

The common man, though, fails to see the consequences in this life.

How sad to ruin this life because of a belief in an unrealized better world.

How many men fail in life because forgiveness is an assumed outcome?

Forgiveness, does not a damaged life heal.

Negativity in this life breads a negative life experience.

What soul would destroy this tangible life,

If it was accepted to be our only chance at existence.

This realization of a sole opportunity can be the greatest gift to man.

Would one capitulate to the struggles of life

If he knew this was his only chance to exist.

Does the promise of another life or existence

Foster an acceptance of mediocrity?

Who dares to ruin the gift of life, Unless another chance at life is expected?

To live for this life is the greatest motivator.

The experience of unrealized dreams and glory

Cannot dissuade the self-realized man.

This is but a lesson in time that better prepares

The heart and soul for future life trials.

The great soul cherishes adversity,

For this is an opportunity to truly know oneself.

To truly know oneself is to realize ones place in this life.

Every man can realize a good life but few will realize greatness.

To be great in this life,

Is a journey that most men cannot endure.

The great man struggles to better mankind,

His greatness is a result of this life struggle,

Not his ambition to be great.

The pursuit of greatness should not be the goal of every man.

Through the dedication and commitment to the betterment of self,

Everyday of ones own existence,

Self-realization will ultimately be experienced.

Self-realization is a gift that sometimes humbles the soul

And at other times burdens the soul.

A man that realizes he is not destined for greatness, is humbled.

At the same time, this man is not burdened by the unyielding pursuit

To better mankind through ones' life works.

To strive to live a good life is a struggle in and of itself

To strive to live a life that betters mankind is a life long

Daily commitment that is rarely realized in this life.

This life long vision and ultimate goal is the fuel that powers the great soul.

Failure is temporary if the unrealized goal is

An accepted stepping stone to the greatest of goals.

Failure does not exist for the great soul.

It is a temporary obstacle that is cherished

For the positive life lesson that is learned and ultimately built upon.

Through these obstacles, the power of self is tested and strengthened.

Without these obstacles, ones true potential would never be realized.

When the human soul learns to cherish life's obstacles,

It can finally live life without limits because the ultimate goal,

For the great soul, will not be realized until the end of this fortunate life.

Shane S. Jernigan

Circa 2007

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