Down in the river
there’s a man left swimming.
Plowing the current
while daylight is thinning.
He doesn’t have long
till he’s carried off spinning
to the ridge of the fall
where he’ll drop and stop living.
What a splash he will make
when he reaches his fate.
What a sound he will make
falling flat on his face.
Further down the river
there’s a man left floating.
Drifting face down
unseen by those boating.
He’s gone far beyond
all those who were gloating
at his lack of courage
when he had to keep going.
What a splash he’d have made
had he not fallen down.
What a sound he’d have made
if he hadn’t been drowned.
At the top of the river
a man is still standing.
Out of the current
firm on the landing.
He swam to the end
his journey demanding
all that he had
and all he was planning.
What a splash he can make
because he kept swimming.
What a sound he can make
because he kept living.
This poem may seem a bit morbid, but it's meant to be encouraging. Life is difficult. It's full of disappointments and often feels like an upriver swim. That being said, it can be tempting to just let the current take us. Sometimes we can even think that letting go will have a bigger impact than the few inches we gain by continuing to swim. But I promise you, once you reach the end of the river, you'll realize that the swim was worth it. And your example may just inspire others to keep swimming a little longer. Never give up!
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