Each person who lives dies as an individual.
We are each born into certain circumstances
That are unique only to us.
Some may be born into an easy life;
Some may be born into a hard life.
Some of those that may be born
Into an easy life will not become anything,
While those born into the most difficult
And hardest of lives will become great.
We may not have any choice into what
The circumstances are that we were born into.
But whatever circumstance it was,
Whether it is good or bad,
This is what makes us who we are.
How we handle these circumstances
Is the determination of what we become.
It is this handicap that each of us have to overcome,
Or it will overcome us.
For each of us are headed into
The finality of our end.
Each one of exists as an individual and are one.
It is not that the world knows
Our name or not that makes greatness.
Indeed, what makes greatness is that we have lived
Our lives to the best that we were able to make of it.
In how we loved others, in how we served others,
In how we gave of ourselves to others.
To overcome our circumstances, this is greatness.
True!
Well said. Circumstances don’t make us, they reveal us.
Another great one…so true!
Amen.
I appreciate your visit to my blog…your thoughts expressed in this poem resonate with me. Thank you.
I thank you for your kind words.
“To overcome our circumstances, this is greatness.”…My favorite line.
Thank you very much.
I appreciate the energy in your words, the candid realness … how it motivates the reader to reflect into their own life. Having done so, I can see how in my life I have had moments where I viewed my life as “easy” and other times I have viewed it as “hard.”
Thank you very much. I truly appreciate your comment. I know that life sometimes seems hard and even unfair. But then I know from experience that then you have to get back up and go on. Also such experiences will make us who we are and make us stronger.
“It is this handicap that each of us has to overcome, Or it will overcome us.” Beautifully said. Thanks for stopping by my place…. I agree with your comment completely. It’s why my husband and I no longer watch the TV or even news, either. Happy Thursday
I thank you for coming by.
beautiful…thank you for the inspiration
Thank you for coming by.
Hi Randall. I enjoyed this poem. It’s so true that we must overcome our circumstances or they will overcome us. Thanks also for your recent visit to my blog.
Blessings,
Carol Connell
A very Lovely poem.
Thank you so much.
There are many words of wisdom here. Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope we meet up again.
Thank you for visiting mine too.
Wonderful reflection on greatness. Gives me lots to think on, other than poor me!
I am glad you liked it. Thank you for your comment and thank you for coming by.
Very, very well said! This is a great poem, Randall, and full of wisdom!! I truly enjoyed it. Peace and blessings, Terri
Thank you very much. I appreciate the comment.
‘Tis true, the greatest are often those who have suffered the most, all around us every day those who were most broken help others glue their own pieces of themselves back together. Nicely said. So in line with what Maya Angelou says: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Thank you for making me feel just fine about “touching others hearts” being my favorite thing in the world to do. Great reminder of what we are here for.
So true. Thank you your words.
Wow. Simple and Profound.
Thank you, and thank you for visiting.
Hi Randall,
I love this: “Indeed, what makes greatness is that we have lived
Our lives to the best that we were able to make of it.
In how we loved others, in how we served others,
In how we gave of ourselves to others.”
So true! And thanks for visiting my blog. It seems our recent posts are linked in spirit.
About our recent posts are linked in spirit I was thinking the same thing. Thank you for your words and visiting.
I was just moved.
Thank you, and thank you for stopping by.
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you’ll come by again when I actually start writing the novel in November.
What a barren world this would be without words. You’ve written a beautiful poem. I look forward to reading your other selections.
Thank you very much. I will look forward toward Nobember.
Lovely post, Randall!
Thank you so much and for coming by. I do appreciate it.
This hits the mark on every level. Excellent!
You are very kind. Thank you.
Hi, Randall–is it just me, or is this a weepy day? Thank you for visiting my website again, & I appreciate your work very much.
Thank you so very much, I love your work too.
Strikes a chord Randall!
Thank you, and a thank you for comming by. Very appreciated.
Nicely written.
Thank you and thank you for stopping by. I love your blog too, some really nice work.
i appreciate your making contact.
greatness has so many faces. and so many contributing factors. suffering and hardship, however, it seems are almost always linked. when things are too easy we have no reason to be creative and inventive.
keep pondering the big questions.
So very ture. Thank you for coming by and commenting.
I totally agree.
Feeling good to see so many alike minds here.
Thank you so much for coming and commenting. I also love your works.
Wow, what a lovely poem. I myself have always found great comfort in, despite life’s troubles, my own free will. This poem brilliantly renders the promise of free will in each of our lives — the paths we choose are our choice alone.
Yes, we must choose, I just hope it is a wise choice. Thank you for your insightful comment. I truly appreciate you stopping by and commenting. Please come back again.
“Some may be born into a hard life.
Some of those that may be born
Into an easy life will not become anything,
While those born into the most difficult
And hardest of lives will become great.” This was my favorite part of this poem.. In so many situations it turns out to be true. My sisters and I were born into a family that had nothing, worked every day of their lives..We were raised with the same work ethic..and now, one is a clothing designer, I’m a regional marketing manager, one is a cop, and the other is a professor at UCLA. Absolutely loved it. So many readers can relate to this.
Thank you for stopping by and for your testimony about overcoming your bad circumstances. Many people need to hear such stories, because they won’t even try to better themselves if they think their situation is bad. I am also glad that you liked the poem. Please come back and visit again sometime.
awwww, the poem and cats: well put!!
Cats (animals actually) seem to work through their bad times it seems. Thank you very much for your comment.
Hello and Hi Randall. I truly understand and liked your poem ‘Circumstances’. In Life, a ‘Winning Hand’ doesn’t always include Aces and Royal Flushes. As Humans, we are obsessive about ‘Past’ and ‘Present’; ‘Future’ is often picked least and last of our obsessions. Thank you for reading my poem. I am an Author and new member here at wordpress, however I hope to inspire Thought. I’m not sure of all the rules and functions of WordPress, but I am learning. I have seen the follow icon\function, may I follow you here at WordPress?
Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. I am glad that you like my poem. The follow function sends an e-mail whenever I post a new poem, which is not all that many (I am a slow writer). Then you click on the e-mail and it and it sends you to the posting. WordPress has a lot of tools to see how your items are doing and which items people like, that is why I like it. It also has a community atmosphere. There are a number of people here that I sort of “know.”
Wow, wonderful use of words…so very true and could not have been said any clearer…yes our dear ol’ circumstance…:)
Keep up the awesome work!
Thank you so much for stopping by. I appreciate your feed back. Please come back again sometime.