So far this year I’m on an unpredictable journey. Sometimes, it’s the unexpected twists and turns that lead us to profound self-discovery and growth. In this blog post, I share a personal poem that captures a phase of my life where pain and introspection led to a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me, so far, in 2024.

Chocolate’s sweetness, a fleeting cheer
Replaced by pain, persistent and unclear.
Ibuprofen’s promise, every few hours
Hoping in vain for its healing powers.

My friend Seth at the wheel, as the clock struck five
Doctors’ discerning eyes, intensely alive.
“Pain’s source uncertain, to the ER, make haste!”
Each second precious, not a moment to waste.

No longer a seeker of sleep’s sweet release
But a wanderer in meditation, finding my inner peace.
Beyond the clamor, in a silent crease
Where thoughts and fears can softly cease.

I tread a new path, where life’s flames burn bright
Through winding trails, I unearth hidden light.
In each moment, wisdom takes flight
As my heart embraces introspection and my spirit takes flight.

In gratitude to Seth, my steadying star
To friends who’ve journeyed, both near and far.
In this labyrinth, where shadows spar
I’ve found my rhythm, my inner avatar.

Reflecting now on paths unknown
In quiet rooms where I’ve stood alone.
The journey’s not just where I’ve been
But in the depths of my self within.

For in each trial, a hidden gift
In stormy skies, a subtle shift.
Life’s mosaic, slowly adrift
In every ending, a new beginning’s lift.

Through the lines of this poem, I’ve attempted to convey the essence of what my 2024 has been like so far. I have a long ways to go. I’m making a lot of difficult decisions for myself. When it comes to a complicated diverticulitis with a 3cm abscess (easier to type than it is to actually say), this isn’t what is going to define me.