expectations

i am expected to be what others are not

i must be honest when others tell lies
     and their lies are forgotten when mine is used against me years later

i must keep promises when others break theirs
     and they excuse it for themselves but will not allow me to do the same

i must say only nice things when others can hurt me
     and their crime must be ignored but mine will be written in stone

i must forget everything done to me when others are allowed to hold on
     and curse those who hurt them and tell me not to speak badly about others

i must be forgiving when others are allowed to seek revenge against me
     and they seek me out to hurt me even though I never wronged them

i must be strong while others are allowed to fall apart
     and people rush to their rescue but tell me to just hang in there

and sometimes these expectations bother me and i wonder
     do they place them on me
     or do i place them on myself?

and then i reread this list of expectations
and something in me changes...


I accept the challenge they present,
and I smile knowing

     I am expected to be honest & keep promises
             because they know I have integrity.
     I am expected to forget and forgive
             because my life is too full of good to have room for hatred
     I am not rescued
             because I can be amazing on my own.