There is no mirror like pain
Lend me your ear, let me explain
Pain cuts through to the real you
It cuts through your ego
And all those things that you say to yourself
To make you feel good
Pain brings you face to face with you
The real you, the raw you
True pain will teach you a lot
Pain taught me that beneath the surface
On the darker side of things
I have embers of rage
Always prepared to flame up
With any wind, any drop of fuel
Can send it raging
And I know I will be lost if it becomes a fire
Eternally lost
But pain also showed me an undying optimism
Deeply implanted in my heart
An optimism that tells me to love for God’s sake
An optimism that causes bouts of depression
When I see members of my Earth family acting out
Displaying their ignorance for all to see
Still, pain taught me that no matter what
My deep faith in humanity is always there
Even though this faith is challenged daily
Pain, deep pain, is a mirror
Because all of the bullshit fades
You’re just standing there
Spiritually naked
Caught off guard
Lost, hoping one day
To again become aware
