As boy under moonlit sky
I sat and wondered "who am I?
What am I supposed to be?
Am I slave or am I free?"
Confused and lonely
I was raised
Never knowing who to praise
Tortured and broken
Heart and soul
Seeking God and peace to know
Now I wear the shining star
Five points to take me far
And peace in heart I have found
Silence is a blessed sound.
Others do not understand
And quietly I cry for them
Love is law and love is pure
Religion masks and makes unsure
Walking The Path with The One
Happiness shines like the sun.

 Growth. For some it's easy. They are raised in a healthy loving home, where all growth is nurtured in the fertile soil of love and family. Some, like myself, don't have it so easy. Not all families are healthy. Not all environments nurture growth. For some, the soul is like a flower; left unattended for too long, it withers and slowly fades away. Never into nothingness, for without our spirit, we would cease to exist. But back almost to a seed. It takes something to make the flower bloom again. To spring forth and be healthy and alive. To grow.

Growth isn't easy when you've spent your life trying to keep the fertile soil of love away from you for fear of being hurt again. But then something happens. Maybe the heart finds solace in another's presence. Perhaps it is sheer willpower to overcome the lethargy of uncaring. Or maybe it is some disaster that strikes, shattering your worldview. But the walls come down, and somehow, past all the negative, the positive finally gets through, and the flower begins to bloom once more.

But then confusion sets in: to which sun should your soul turn towards? Societal pressure, fear, doubt, all stand in the way of healthy growth. Some never make it past this point and bitterly turn back, thinking it's pointless to continue and that they were "Right all along". For others, though, after months, maybe years of searching, something rings true. And the flower can finally grow taller, spread its roots, and feel the light of the Divine shining around it, and within, and the flower can blossom.

I am a flower, with only a few steps taken on the path, shedding the burden of past pain and anger behind me. Love brought me forth into the light, and love carries me forward. A desire to be good again coupled with the support and caring I lacked for 19 years set me on my way. As a child I felt wonder at the stars, the moon, the feeling of dewy grass between my toes, the sound of a stream, the size of the trees. And I have returned to that feeling after many years of absence. It feels good, and I feel alive once more.

Growth. It's not always easy. Especially when you're in an interfaith relationship. Sometimes things clash, and for a lot of people this is too hard, so they separate and go their own ways. For I and my beloved? Issues arise, and sometimes it's hard. But we have one thing we do that makes it all easier: We love each other, and we respect our differences, sometimes just agreeing to disagree. We know our love will carry us forward, and together, we grow stronger than we could apart.

It seems that it is on the shoulders of so few to help our society grow spiritually. For every good deed you hear about, there's a hundred evil acts playing across the headlines of society. Maybe that's why so few grow into flowers. They can't see the sun for the smoke of hate and selfish greed. So I cry spiritually for us. For humankind. For all those who can't open their eyes to the light of love. Because I have been there, blinded by my own petty hate.

Growth. Nurture it when you can. Help people open their eyes when you can. Because with every flower that blooms a more beautiful and diverse garden we shall live in.

Blessed Be.
LoneWalker.