Courage to Inspire
Be prepared for ego-based sentiments in their raw form.
Writing and performing these words has largely unleashed me from the shackles of envy, which inspired this poem.
Courage to Inspire
No one talks about the courage
it takes to inspire
We all want to be
someone they admire
But what happens
when our glow strikes someone else’s candle
and they burn brighter
than our eyes can even handle?
Oh what a scandal!
To ponder the fate of the songbird
whose lyrics empowered the pretty young thing
that took her place
Relegated to the shadows
without a trace
left behind
and I was surprised to find
all this came to mind
when I gave her the recipe
…and she made it better than me
I taught her the dance
and she danced it…better than me
I hate to admit -
this ruffled the feathers in me
Filthy ego wants to be the best, you see
My filthy ego sees this as a threat, you see
And I feel so ashamed….
Over the years
this voice I have tamed
but her whispers linger
and I’m not proud to say it
but I’ve got a dragon in me
and I’m determined to slay it
I don’t like the feeling she brings
I don’t like thinking mean things
Such an ugly part
of the human condition
And maybe not everyone
has this affliction
But I suspect these petty thoughts
are not unique to me
The secret sauce
stays a secret
for a reason, you see?
And I wonder if the coach
really gives his all
Or if he ever secretly hopes
his marvel player drops the ball
for no other motive
than self-consolation
Surely this envy’s a straight path to damnation
Such insecure vanity
is corrupting humanity
It’s wrong and we know it
We’re meant to be a quilt –
and this is not how to sew it
Progression keeps us striving
for good, better, best
But it was never meant to become
a competitive test
It’s backwards, you see?
We can’t collectively evolve
by one upping one another
All our contributions
will dissolve
We are all one unit:
the sum of its parts
It’s impossible to feel
only our hearts
The shift occurs when we view
our successes as one in the same
And recognize that first prize
is not the aim of the game
Your queendom
does not deflect from mine -
Your gifts are yours
and mine are mine
There’s enough dark in the world
to let both - all - our lights shine
So on that marquee
the singer’s name may have been replaced
but her impact can never be erased
because she had a unique trickle-down effect
which we call can respect
So we can choose to feel afraid
to illuminate a legacy
that supersedes our own
Or proud to witness flowers spring
from seeds we had sown
Through humble example,
modest model
silent sample
It would actually be an honor
to know that something I said
got in your head
and made your life brighter
And that feels…so much lighter, you see
than my ego’s petty rivalry
So if I give you the recipe
and you make it better than me?
I’ll rejoice that world has your treats to savor
Only YOU
can sweeten our tongues
with that particular flavor
And if I inspire your poetry
and you write it better than me?
Nah…
can’t take that away from me
Because ‘better’, you see,
is an optional illusion:
A construct designed
to keep us blind
from the paradise of fusion
Your ideas and mine,
our ideas and theirs
From whence do they hail?
Nobody really cares
Should I be but a meager ember
that fans the flames of your fire
I’ll consider it a privilege
to encourage your empire
To recognize we have the same desire, you and me
is all the courage we need to inspire, you see?
Power Move: Lift someone up today. Be specific in your encouragement of another person.
While embracing feelings of joy for them, notice what comes up for you internally. Envy? Fear? Sadness?
Notice it. Accept it. Let it flow. And let it go.
Try to alchemize any negativity into supportive, loving energy - knowing that their success is your success as well.