The War

Some battles are surprises,
For others we’re aware
We fight against the odds,
And do more than we should dare.

But the cause we’re fighting for
Is worth too much to just give in.
The flames that capture us
Are from the fire deep within.

Sometimes friendly fire
Is what knocks us to the ground.
But still we press on
With a brand new courage found.

You see this war we wage
Is not against a foe.
It is someone we hold dear
And someone we all know.

It’s a war against ourselves
That is long and hard and fierce
But the battles can be won,
And the armor can be pierced.

The belief in one’s own worth
Can snuff out any fire.
And instead your heart will burn
With a courage fed desire.

Sometimes bombs are dropped
And we think we lay in waste.
But we’re too soon to give in
And our fault is simply haste.

If we can just step back,
And take the time to plan,
The war will be won
If we simply say "I can."

The courage to move onward
Is sometimes hard to find.
But take a second to look within
And clear your muddled mind

For the mind is the battlefield
Whereon this war is fought.
And too many barriers make it hard
To find what you have sought

When fighting one’s own self
There is a lesson we all learn.
Each bridge we fight to cross,
Is a bridge that we must burn.

When one battle is over
I know another will ensue
But it’s the daily challenges
That makes my honor true.

For without the struggles of this life
Our strength would often wane.
And every skirmish fought
Would always be in vain.

So just remember,
When you see no end in sight,
The commitment to live on
Will help you win the fight.

-Colleen Rinkus
April 1999