Auld Lang Syne: Where I'm From

Photo courtesy of 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Timeless_Books.jpg/800px-Timeless_Books.jpg

Fridays are my days to write, and seeing as this is the last Friday of the month (and incidentally, the year) I wanted to do a looking-back post.

Auld Lang Syne has been stuck in my head, with its haunting melody and wistful lyrics. And so I've decided to write about where I'm from in poem form. The inspiration was taken from one of my favorite blogs, Red and Honey.

Where I'm From
by Sarah E. A. Fusaro

I'm from Chincoteague ponies breathing life into a lifelong obsession of all things equine
From praying as I relentlessly searched the classifieds
And watching wistfully from the wrong side of the fence

I'm from Middle Earth, Narnia, Hogwarts and countless other places in between
Tripping into these places on the way to doing something else
Insatiable for adventures and worlds and people between the covers of a book

I'm from a hospital bed, a stiff neck, and being stuck again and again
Not knowing I had been snatched
From the jaws of death for a second chance

I'm from nowhere and everywhere
Finding home wherever my heart is
A tumble weed with no roots

I'm from crawfish boils and cafe au lait with beignets
And from watching the men make jambalaya for the whole church
While the ladies worked magic in the kitchen

I'm from camping and fires and lantern-lit card games
"Dare ya!"s with siblings and cousins
And blanket forts and laughter and airsoft battles

I'm from lonely days and nights
And long distance friendships that faded away
Despite long phone calls and letters and visits

I'm from working hard and hope deferred
Again and again and again
Falling down, getting back up, and failing to meet expectations

I'm from life-changing words on tear-stained pages
Kindling a desire to write like that
Daily writing to one day touch someone's life

I'm from love that healed a broken heart
Learning what it means to love truly, deeply, selflessly
Making my debate partner my life partner

I'm from a flutter within, new life tucked away beneath my heart
From pushing and bleeding and almost losing
And then holding and loving more with each breath

I'm from feeling the weight of sin on my small shoulders
And then discovering the freedom of the Cross
The relief of undeserved mercy

I'm going to grow and learn to forgive and love better
Each day embracing life and grace
Giving to others as I have been given