As a child all that was expected of me
Was to be a good student, to excel academically
There was one thing in which I could take pride-
It was the ability to read and imbibe knowledge of subjects wide
And apply that effectively to take tests
That was what I was capable of doing best
From one milestone to another I progressed
Academic performance defined my success
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Since all the right boxes I had been checking throughout
Never once did I pause, or have a doubt
That what I was doing was not enough
That real life would be far more tough
The soft skills that are in real life so essential
I had ignored, thinking they were inconsequential
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I’ve been struggling to find my “grown-up” place
Challenges in daily life I often face
I do not have the confidence that I had before
These days victories I hardly ever score
But when I am feeling especially discouraged, I find
That “studying” a specific subject and stimulating my mind
Is the best boost I can give to my self-esteem
When my problems insurmountable seem
Learning a subject in depth encouragement provides
To take all other problems in my stride
Passion...unbridled 