Measured by Choice

Measured by Choice

I was not born in self-deprecation
I trained in the words
I use to hurt myself

I was not born in naivety
I was simply born
In the blessing that is being born

To be of pure existence
Coming from nothing more than presence
To be and only be for the sake of only being

I was not born in hatred
I was not born in spite
I was not born in violence
I was not born in fear

I was taught these things
Living life for the sake of survival

Survival is of instinct
And yet remains a part of the most civilized
The most consistently controlled

We survive
I believe
To get back
To when our survival
Did not count
On the end of others

A life of choices made
A life of choices weighed
Against our measure from birth

I was not born measured
I grew into my measurement
And continue to grow through choices