hills and valleys

Life isn't one easy straight road. It's got curves, hills, valleys, obstacles that challenge us and make us work harder. We can't always see those hills; sometimes we hit curves we're not expecting, but we have to take it all in stride. Those obstacles are there to teach us, to help us- even if we don't quite understand how or why. These hard times teach us to appreciate the better times, help us to not take things for granted.

I wouldn't know just how sweet this tastes now
No, if at first I did not go
The bitter times, the bitter places
I'll stay and learn the new battles
But, for now, we're here

We know that it won't be easy, but luckily we're not alone. We never have to face this life alone. When we take those around us and use their help we can make it through anything, we can be there for others as they are there for us. We just have to hold on together, stay as one and use each other and things will work out.

Say you're with me
There's gold ahead
There's golden dreams
And life's hills and valleys
Yeah, will you hold on with me?

good life

This could really be a good life, good life
Say, oh, got this feeling that you can't fight
Like this city is on fire tonight
This could really be a good life.

This life is amazing. Maybe it's not always easy, but it is good. So many good things happen that we often forget about, that we take for granted. If we just took like 5 seconds to take a step back and look at how great we really have it, I think we'd all be a little amazed. I know I do it a lot, it's easy to get caught up in the stresses of school, work and whatever else we do, but there are so many amazing things out there. So many things that we need to learn how to appreciate more, so many amazing things around us.

the end where I begin

one thing ends, one thing begins. This life is a constant chain of successes and mistakes, joy and pain, beginnings and endings. Things have to end before something new and better can begin. We have to change and grow or we'll never learn all we can be. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes we don't want to forget the past, but looking back blinds us to possibilities. Remembering and looking back are different. We can remember all we learned or how an experience helped us, but looking back carries heavier consequences. We can't live in the past; we can't look back longingly wishing to be back at that time. Everyday is a new beginning, a new chance to learn.

"Now I'm alive
and my ghosts are gone
I've shed all the pain
I've been holding on
The cure for a heart
Is to move along, is to move along
So move along"

We all have the ability to liberate ourselves from the past, from what holds us back. All we have to do is move along and begin again. All we have to do is look forward. Look forward and find joy in the new adventures waiting for us.