There are promises that you make to yourself

that will change the way you live your life; and sometimes

you will be able to see as you make them; other times

it’ll be years before you knew you were following a mantra

a motto, or something; and when you look back

it’ll shine through everything you have ever done

and you’ll love it or hate it; but years later, you won’t be able to

do anything about it.

I have made some promises too.

Like the promise I’ve made to never regret the evening I spent

swept in the arms of something I love; like reading poetry

Or listening and singing along to songs in the happiest voice,

Like the day when I chose to ignore a pending assignment

so that I could go and listen to two old men, both poets

as they recited words weaved in magic, casting a spell on me

And the wonder I felt when I saw them grow young

in the span of an hour or so.

And I will never look back with contempt or anger

at the things and people that once made me happy, so happy

that the world seemed brighter when I sat next to them;

and time got wings as I saw it fly by me; and every 'goodbye'

seemed too hard, and every 'hello' so warm..

Because it doesn’t matter if they made me cry, they also gave me

the time of my life; and I promise to be grateful

for each laugh, each smile.

To never regret the time I spent, making people laugh

making them happy, with jokes and stories; truth or fiction

but giving them a time they cherish; time spent with children

listening to their stories of toys and school; of puppies as they

wag their tails, smiling with their eyes and loving oh so completely,

like games played with my mother, or evenings spent with friends

times that needn't be recorded in diaries, and feelings that are hard

to put into words.

And I will never let anyone tell me, to look at my world

with anything but pretty heart-shaped rose-tinted glasses

Because the truth is, we’re all going to wear lenses anyway

so I’ll look at my world with hope and love and its beauty

and people for all the magnificent charm and joys they hold

each person with his own ways of giving out happiness

each person with her own way of showing that she matters.

I made promises to myself the other day

promises I should have made a long time back

promises I intend to keep for a long time to come.