Purposeful Growth

Because I Can 

My adversary
Stood over me,
A countenance of
Malice and menace.

“Get up!” he challenged
And I’d try,
But he’d make me fall
Again and again
Before I could get to my feet.

“Why do you keep on
Knocking me down?”

“Because I can,”
Said my enemy.

Frustration multiplied
Each nuisance and
Every annoyance until
One foe became many,
Taking malicious turns
Cutting my legs from beneath me
Until my hatred burned
Deeply within my soul.

“Why do you keep doing this to me?”

“Because we can.”

I glared at my troubles,
They scowled back at me;
I was taunted and haunted,
Feeling quite weak.

One final try would finish me,
So I felt,
But I could not give up
To my fears or my woes.

I sat up to face my trials
And got to my knees,
Where I stayed for a moment of waiting.

I started to rise,
And felt arms around me
That gave me new strength and
A fresh resolve.

My enemies rushed toward me,
But fell to the ground
As I finally stood on my feet.
The bullies then tried to
Find their own legs,
And just I tried to arise and failed,
So did they, until they lay conquered
Before me and my unseen Friend.

It was not my strength,
But my Friend’s,
That gave me victory;
I could not help but ask,
“Why do you always pick me up
Every time I fall to the ground?”

My friend spoke to my heart,
“Because I can.”

© 2007 by Robert E. Blackwell, Robert E. Blackwell, www.randrblackwell.com

With Robert’s permission, I’m sharing this beautiful poem of love, faith, and perseverance. Several more of his wonderful poems and three collections are available here.

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In the spirit of love I challenge you to commit yourself to unconditional love. Pick one person in your life: your spouse, significant other, child, parent, or friend. Commit that from this day forward you will love that person unconditionally.

Write the following: Dear (name), from this day forward I commit to love you unconditionally. I will love you no matter what you do, what you say, or how you behave. I will simply and totally love you. I hope that you love me, too, but that is not a condition. There are no conditions. I love you.

After you have written this, notice how you feel. You might feel light, free, joyous, or even full-of-yourself for being so magnanimous. But if you sincerely committed to unconditional love, I think you’ll enjoy some wonderful feelings.

If you are so inclined, you can share your commitment with the lucky person, either verbally or by giving them the commitment on what will probably be the best Valentine they’ve ever received.

Even if you don’t express your unconditional love out loud, you might be surprised to notice that the person you’ve chosen seems to act differently. Perhaps he or she will look at you in a new way, as if they’re seeing something in you they haven’t seen before. People can feel it when they’re loved unconditionally. They may not be able to express it right away. But they feel something is different.

I hope you’ll take this challenge. It’s a wonderful gift to yourself, your loved one, and humanity. Unconditional love is contagious.