Life Lessons

~~I did not learn the lessons
about life at school.
Such knowledge is not a gift
But a journey in uncharted waters.

There is no pathway
or logical directions.
Only a scrambling
through darkened forest.
Where the light
cannot penetrate the trees.

Until now a lifetime
away from there.
Where the springtime’s
Impatience grew the flowers
in early abundance.

The trees budded
in the suns new warmth.
When the frost came back
And burned
the new life into coal blackness.
Melting in final defeat
The snow on each petal.
Choking the new born green buds.

I thought then of the time
I almost left you.
Full of love in my heart
Frostbitten
with your indifference.
As I planned my escape
You came into the room
Not a moment too soon.

And kissed me saying
the small things
I needed to hear.
And the warmth in my heart
Melted the snow and ice
That were burning my petals
From the cold front
you had brought in.
That nearly killed us.

And I said to myself
So this is life.