Motivation Poem

The Challenge is a motivation poem written by me in 2002,
three years after I had begun my journey towards self-awareness.

It was first published in my short story collection, Trails to Treasure.

The Challenge

by Deb Donnell

Do you know what it is like
to have this intensity burning deep inside,
driving you quickly forward on a path
you’re not really sure you want to take?
I do.

Are you pausing, frozen in doubt and fear,
yet prodded forward by some yearning,
step-by-step onto the dark, unknown path of risk,
in search of the truth of who you are?
I am.

Or are you hiding behind the masks
of alcohol, or work, or the denial of emotion,
protecting yourself from the raw force
of pain and joy and honesty?
Perhaps you complain of being old before your time?
Or of the disease that afflicts your mind or body?
Or the failure of others to meet your needs/
I know I used to.

I’ve been to where you are now.
Felt alone and abandoned.
Hoping for death to end the pain of being alive.
I wonder if you are asking what saved me?
I’ll tell you.

I delved deep into my heart,
following the ache of longing,
confronting the demons of my past and present
to find insight and honesty
and the tiniest spark of hope
that burst into the flames of dreams and action.
I am now alive.

Will you risk this dangerous journey too?
Throw away the trappings of others
and look into the mysteriousness of your soul?
Will you accept my challenge to discover who you are
and what you need to do to feel a sense of peace,
even as you are stretched so thinly apart
between the extremes of ecstasy and agony?
Are you willing to give up existing so that you can live?
I trust you will.

(c) 2002 Deb Donnell

If you find that you connect with the challenges I talk about in this motivation poem, or you know of other people who would find this helpful with their own journey, I am happy for you to print it out, use it in your ezine or websiste, or forward on to your network.

All I ask is that you include this complete statement with it:

Deb Donnell, author and founder of the brand Cafe Reflections, a website offering self-motivation quotes, tools, techniques and stories for solo entrepreneurs.

If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE motivation tips from Deb Donnell now at: www.CafeReflections.com

If you enjoyed this motivation poem, then check out the motivation stories page.