For Fire Is The Test Of Gold

~ This is the ideology that in order to become pure gold, the original gold-bearing ore must go through the tempering process of fire; the analogy being that for a person strong in spirit, adversity and suffering are the tempering agents necessary to refine their character and bring out their true potential.

I love to write. Often I am babbling aimlessly with colloquialisms left right and centre, but the flow of syntax and the depth of the English language, has always captivated me. One form of expression which I am very fond of, is poems. They often take the rhythmical structure of a song, but I call it a poem for the benefit of those around me; I have the self-awareness to recognise that nobody wants to hear me break out into verse.

It is not a stretch to say that my mental health has suffered over the years. I have found myself anxious, panicked and at times full of self-loathing. I have also experienced bouts of incredibly low and negative moods. Many a time I have felt as though I was losing my spark, and in doing so, I wondered whether there was anything special about me in the first place.

I lost sight of this for a while but I realised that I was far from alone in feeling this way. The recognition that I had lost my spark, confirms to me that there was something that made me sparkle in the first place, all I needed to do was find it. And so I write.

This is a poem that comes from a place of understanding and optimism. It doesn't have a name but I hope it finds the people who need to hear this most.

L x

__- Written By Lucy Matthews, September 2019

Encased in your vulnerability you hear people say,

Chin up, don’t worry, it's okay to not be okay.

They say it so easily, like it hardly affects them,

You want them to comprehend, but, how can you expect them.

You assume they are trapped in ignorance, as they go about their day,

Whilst you are shackled with expectation, and your true self fades away.

You search for your tomorrow, but the past is all you see,

You jokingly share with others, you’re invisible when you’re me.

You presume you are alone, as you struggle with fear and vulnerability,

Others catch a glimpse, but you continue with humility.

You always feel defeated, life is just so tough,

You wrestle with your own self-worth, will I ever be good enough?

You feel limited, doubtful, powerless, apprehensive and unsure,

You feel you have lost, beyond the salvation of a cure.

It is easy to forget so I am here to simply say, you are not alone,

And that is the case every, single, day.

The truth is, mental health affects us all to varying degrees,

We all have our demons, and need to negotiate choppy seas.

There is no quick improvement to mental health, just small and influential tweaks,

For this is a process, with victory round every corner for those brave enough to go and seek.

Everyone feels they are limited but like fears, limits are often just illusions,

And your story is not decided, it’s up to you to create your own conclusions.

Have faith in humanity for kindness will always win,

As there are people who will plant trees, the shade of which is for those who’s lives are yet to begin.

Hold on to your ambition, for that is individual to you,

And you are worthy, with a dream, there is nothing you can’t do.

Do not give your past the power to define your days to come,

Embrace your identity, your difficulties, be proud of what you have overcome.

Live your life with pride, authenticity and be curious every day,

Your life is valuable and worthy, be brilliant in every way.

If you have a dream and believe in the person you want to become,

Then guess what, in the game of life…

You’ve already won

fin

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I am absolutely fascinated by the creation of commercials and advertisements as well as the production of film and television. I would love to one day be both in front of the camera and behind the creativity of different projects in the future. I have coined this blog as a demonstration of my journey from aspiration to accomplishment. This is where my journey of content creation begins... I'm excited to see where it goes : )