Do and Do Not

I do not define myself by how many roadblocks have appeared my pathI define myself by the courage I've found to forge new roads

I do not define myself by how many disappointment I've facedI define myself by the forgiveness and the faith I have found to begin again

I do not define myself by how long a relationship lastedI define myself by how much I have loved and been willing to love again

I do not define define myself by how many times I have been knocked down.I define myself myself by how many times I have struggled to my feet

" I am not my pain!  I am not my past!
I am that which has emerged from the fire"