Superpower

I have really been into the superhero stuff these days, especially with the things I watch on Netflix like The Flash, Supergirl, Marvel’s Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., etc. They all have different superpowers like strength, speed, etc. I always thought about what my superpower would be if I were a superhero. I think I will stick with either invisibility or strength. Those seem like good options. I am going to give you a quote from the man of steel himself, Superman. “You’re much stronger than you think you are. Trust me.” And he is right. We are stronger than we think we are. I think strength not only comes from the outside, but within. We just have to trust that we are strong. We do not have to be as strong as Superman or Superwoman, but strength makes us powerful. So go ahead and find your superpower because someday the world might need it!! Here is a poem I wrote for a competition about having strength as a superpower on DUP. As it so happens I won. Here it is… Enjoy!!

Strength of Armor

Can you feel all my strength? It is strong enough to lift
Mountains that have tried to tear and weigh me down.
It is radiating even stronger than Greek God Krato’s gift,
Being strong enough to tear through this dead end town
And all it’s no good people. It is powerful enough to start
Every tornado or hurricane that touches down and slams
Into the west coast shoreline. My precious and gold heart
That will be leaving everyone behind in pieces while I am
Still standing here with my indestructible, yet solid armor.
People want a war? Well, they got one once they stand in
My way or path of destruction. I am a beginner and starter
Of every fire. I help everyone drown in his or her own sin.

Growing Up

Growing up…something that is terrifying to think about because when we used to be kids we wanted to be a grown up and when you grow up all you want to do is to be a kid again. For some reason it just happens that way because sometimes we want the opposite. However, some of us can still try to be kids on the inside. There is a quote I want to throw in here, which is super deep and meaningful by the way. “Soda becomes vodka. Bikes become cars. Kisses turn into sex. Remember when dad’s shoulders were the highest place on earth and mom was your hero? Race issues were who ran the fastest, war was only a card game. The most pain you felt was when you skinned your knees, and good byes only meant until tomorrow? And we couldn’t wait to grow up.” Sometimes we don’t have to grow up that quickly. Anyways, there are certain situations and things we go through that make us grow up, sometimes rather quickly. For me that situation came when I applied for college and decided to attend college outside of California. People took one look at me and thought I was crazy, but also courageous. I made that decision because I was ready for change and that is a part of growing up. Sometimes as we grow up we are ready for different things, places and people. That is also a part of growing up.

During those days of college I learned a lot about myself and was for the most part, able to make my own decisions. I made the choices who I made friends with, what classes I took, etc. I was learning how to be financially stable which is still a struggle, but I am learning. A lot of those things in my mind are all a part of growing up. That certain situation might be different for someone else. That is also a time where you find out who you are and what you want because that could have been different from the time when you were younger. A part of growing up is sometimes doing things you did not do before or losing people you were once close too. In other words, we outgrow those things and people. I want to thank those of you who have been there while I have been growing because they have never left my side. I even want to thank those who left me too because those people taught me a lot. That brings me into my next quote. “Whether you pushed me or pulled me, drained me or fueled me, loved me or left me, hurt me or helped me, you are a part of my growth and no kidding, I ‘thank you’!” You all are really a part of my growth, no matter what.

Another time that made me grow up was simply going from a girl to a woman and that was also when I turned 21 when I was in college. We go through all those changes when we grow up and although I am now past 21, it still feels like I am growing up every day. I do not think that growing up phase ever truly goes away. Someone may want to argue with me about that, but it is whatever. When you grow up you lose things, but growing up also may mean to keep some things and to also gain things. In addition to growing up we also grow, which is pretty much the same thing as growing up. It is just without the up part. We let things grow and blossom. I want to include this quote because it all the things we go through growing up. “As you grow up, your priorities change, nights out are swapped for nights in, your circle gets smaller and games, drama, and partying every weekend just aren’t fun anymore. You get to a point where it’s quality over quantity, like your your career, your relationships, your family and YOU! You want quality now. Something that’s yours, something real, something you can grow, something you’re proud of. As you grow up, you want a future, not just a for now. As you grow up things change, YOU change… and you start to like it that way.” This poem I included is a reminder for all of my readers that it is okay to grow/grow up because all things and people grow up, whether it is plants, people, feelings, etc.

Growing Up Into a Woman

Darling, I hope that you dry your tears
That you cry when you go to sleep at night.
Believe you are stronger than your fears
And that you are still the endless light
That glows. You are no longer that little girl,
But you are still a fighter and growing up
To become something more than a pearl.
You never lost your ability to see that the cup
Is still half way full. You are a good woman with
Optimism, magic and hope at your fingertips.
You have to be more than that fable, myth
And fairy tale. You write your own scripts
And stories. You are someone’s wonder
And super woman, but you do not belong to
Them. You may trip, but you never slip under
Because you are someone who is always true.

Mother’s Day

I am sharing a quote I found just the other day as Mother’s Day is upon us for this year (or at least it will be very soon).  “Of all the gifts that life has to offer, a loving mother is the greatest of them all.” I know that we all (including myself as well) do not always get along with our parents (it is a given when it comes to the relationship we have with them) because we bicker and fight with them from a very young age. We all go through stages (especially when we rebel or do not talk to my parents) with them. I include myself in this because I have been through all of that myself. I have been fortunate enough to be the daughter of parents who are a couple of the nicest and hardest working people I know. I love my dad, but I want to spend this time talking about my mom especially.

My mom… Words cannot describe how lucky I am to have her as a mom (I hope that she gets a chance to read this). She is hard working, kind, strong headed (a good trait, I promise), super supportive, speaks her mind (another good trait), and is so many other things as well. I admire so many women in my life (including my grandma, sister, etc.) and my mom is one of those people on my list. I do not know if she knows this, but she has always been one of my role models and is someone I have always looked up to as a young girl (and I still look up to her as an adult). My mom has always encouraged me to be myself and to always keep pushing through no matter what life throws my way. I have had many challenges in my life (and I still do) and she has been there every step of the way.

She has been there when I have gone through bad things (like not landing a role that I had auditioned for or when I was going through a rough patch). It was hard for me when I went off to college, but my parents were encouraging me to do this. I would call them at least once a week (even though I would call my mom more than that). My mom has always given me advice (regardless if I want to hear it or not is another thing altogether). She would give me advice on everything from boys to school to my poetry writing.

I know that I have talked a lot about my (biological) mom. I am also fortunate enough to have a (second or other) mom. She was the one who I met while I was an undergraduate at McDaniel College (in MD). The joke is that when my parents dropped me off at McDaniel College (my freshman year), they were some of the last ones there and my parents came to meet Susan (and the rest of the office), my parents were reassured that this was the right decision. I have been close with her ever since then. I would stay at her house, I would still see her once a week (even after she left McDaniel). In fact, I think she and my mom would be good friends (if my parents were their neighbors). They could even be sisters (they are so similar and have similar tastes).

I shared this poem with my mom last year (because I wrote it just in time for Mother’s Day last year), but I will be sharing it again this year (with my readers). I hope that you get a chance to celebrate Mother’s Day with your mom this year. Even if you do not have a mom (or if she is not around for whatever reason) turn to someone who is like a mom to you (she does not even have to be biologically related to you) and tell her how much you appreciate her and love her. She is (as what Alicia Keys sings in her song “Superwoman”) indeed a super woman and beyond that as well. Thank you to all the moms in the world (we literally would not be here without you). Just a side note, this poem is written for my mom (directly towards her), but this could be used in any context for any mom out there. Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mother. I will forever love you.

Love For a Mother

Like mother

Like daughter –

Strong, ambitious,

And hard working.

The road has been

Long and wide.

Lots of highs like

Success, love and

Support.

Lots of lows

Like wiping away

Tears and being

Missed.

The road takes me

Back right into

Your arms and heart,

Where there is

Never-ending love

And light. No matter

Where life goes,

You are right

Beside me, walking

Or running with me.

Even if we are far

Apart you have that

Special place in

My heart and mind

Where you belong.

You are my cheerleader,

You are my rock,

You are my anchor,

You are my everything,

And most of all

You are my mother.