The Path Maker

Photo by: Creative Vix

Sometimes as a path maker, you forget

That you cannot walk back and see the happiness

Of the people on the path you have voyaged.

But in fact, it’s the impact

Of letting go that made people rise.

Holding on, I thought, made me worthy,

Fading away from all my memories.

Facing the fear, taking control,

A ripple that strayed from the goal.

I don’t want to be here,

Holding on, I thought, made me still worthy,

But it was in the letting go that made me.

I don’t want to be here anyway,

Fading away from my memories.

Face the fear, control the message,

For there is a ripple that is at stake.

Never stopping, like a bloodstream,

Bleeding points you towards purpose.

A band-aid only fixes your temporary problem,

When you feel it, you heal it.

Stepping stones align your life’s mission,

And each slip or fall defines the character

You were meant to be spoken about.

Free falling like an organ breathing,

In and out, as everything we dreamt about.

Each line or cross setting the boundaries

Of dreams yet to come, and paths still unfolding.

Trust in the journey, in the steps you take,

For every stumble, a new path you make.

The echoes of your footsteps leave a mark,

Guiding others through the dark.

In the letting go, you find your worth,

A path maker, for only you can leave hope.

Description

This poem was written a few years ago, on a trip to the mountains. I was seeking to just get away and find a little piece on earth to really reset myself, to get out of the spiral I’d found myself in.

During my stay in Kenmore, I looked at the mountains and felt inspired by them. Realising they had a deeper story and message for me. I thought of the way travellers must voyage their way through the mountains, especially when there were no paths to be seen. It had me thinking about all the paths that are created by everyone on their travels in this life. That it was all their footsteps from which those paths were created, and in all of us, is the power to become a path maker.

But it’s not easy.

Sometimes it’s a just feeling of disconnection from wanting to be with the party and with everybody else but also knowing you’re meant to do great things. That this path you’re on right now, isn’t the one for you. When you're meant to do great things, that means you’re the one creating the new pathway and in that, you have to learn you're not going to be with the herd. You're going to be walking these new pathways mostly alone, leading the way into unknown terrority.

What comes with this is so much emotion to process. From the moments when you’ll think ‘I don't want to be here’ or asking ‘Should I stop walking this path? to maybe giving into the fear a little, ‘Should I hold back, stay with the crowd?’ or ‘is this a path that should be walked?’ but what you need to remember is that those feelings are not where your worth is. They are just reflections of how difficult it is walk any new path. You must remember your purpose and focus on the mark you wish to make on the world.

As a Path Maker, you will be constantly moving and thinking on your purpose too. There will be so many mental games to play, and short-term band-aids to affix. The poem is about realising how truly mentally mental fit you must be to walk this unique path, especially if you want to leave a legacy but I’m telling you if you can do it, it is worth it. Especially the ripples you’ll create by moving forward on this newly made path. You must move past the loneliness of voyaging and of being a path maker. Ultimately knowing at the end, the echoes of your footsteps are leaving the marks to guide those behind you in their darkest moments. You will inspire others, maybe not the world but the right people will watch you make your way, and find courage in those steps.