A Piece of Advice that Helps  me Live Through the Tough Days #WriteAPageADay #600

The Whisper of the Cactus

I am a cactus in the desert of your mind,  
spines outstretched like fractured thoughts,  
prickling the edges of your consciousness.  
You ask me for advice,  
but I am not a sage, not a guru,  
just a stubborn green thing that thrives  
where others wither.

The First Spine: Become a Paradox

They told you to be strong,  
to stand tall like an oak,  
unbending in the storm.  
But I say: be the willow.  
Bend until your roots scream,  
until your leaves kiss the ground,  
until the wind forgets you exist.  
Then, when it passes,  
spring back like a coiled serpent,  
unbroken, unapologetic.  

Strength is not in the standing,  
but in the rising.

The Second Spine: Embrace the Cracks

You are a shattered vase,  
pieces scattered across the floor,  
and you weep for what you were.  
But listen:  
the cracks are where the light enters.  
Gold veins of kintsugi,  
filling your fractures with fire.  
You are not broken—  
you are a mosaic,  
a masterpiece in progress.

The Third Spine: Wear Your Scars Like Jewels

They will tell you to hide them,  
to cover the marks of battles fought and lost.  
But I say: flaunt them.  
Let your scars gleam like diamonds,  
each one a testament to survival.  
You are not a victim;  
you are a warrior,  
and your body is a map of victories.

The Fourth Spine: Dance with the Shadows

The dark days will come,  
and you will want to run,  
to hide under the blankets of denial.  
But I say: stay.  
Sit with the shadows,  
invite them to tea,  
ask them what they have come to teach you.  
For even the darkest night  
holds the promise of dawn.

The Fifth Spine: Be a Fool

They will call you reckless,  
mad for laughing in the face of despair.  
But I say: laugh louder.  
Dance in the rain,  
sing off-key,  
wear mismatched socks.  
Let them think you a fool,  
for only a fool knows  
that joy is the ultimate rebellion.

The Sixth Spine: Drink from the Well of Small Things

You search for meaning in grand gestures,  
in milestones and achievements.  
But I say: look closer.  
The way sunlight filters through the curtains,  
the hum of a coffee machine at dawn,  
the warmth of a hand in yours.  
These are the moments that sustain you,  
the quiet miracles that keep you alive.

The Seventh Spine: Be a Phoenix, Not a Statue

They will try to carve you into stone,  
to immortalize you in their image.  
But I say: burn.  
Let the flames consume you,  
let the ashes scatter in the wind,  
and from the embers, rise anew.  
You are not meant to be static,  
but ever-evolving,  
a creature of fire and flight.

The Eighth Spine: Hold On, But Not Too Tight

You cling to what you love,  
afraid it will slip through your fingers.  
But I say: loosen your grip.  
Let the river flow,  
let the birds fly,  
let the moments pass.  
For in the release,  
you find freedom.

The Ninth Spine: Be a Cactus

And when all else fails,  
be like me.  
Thrive in the harshest conditions,  
store water in your soul,  
and bloom when no one expects it.  
You are not fragile;  
you are resilient,  
a miracle of adaptation.

The Final Spine: This Too Shall Pass

The days will be long,  
the nights longer still.  
But remember:  
this is not forever.  
The storm will pass,  
the sun will rise,  
and you will stand again, 
stronger, wiser,  
and more beautiful than before.

Epilogue: The Whisper

So here is my advice,  
not as a sage, not as a guru,  
but as a cactus in the desert of your mind:  
Live.  
Not in spite of the pain,  
but because of it.  
For every spine is a lesson,  
every scar a story,  
and every breath a rebellion.

#ResiliencePoetry #CactusWisdom #LifeLessons #InnerStrength #PersonalGrowth #OvercomingChallenges #MindfulLiving #SelfDiscovery