As an English major, I was exposed to a lot of poetry in school. This was not one of the poems in the canon, but it struck me the moment I read it and I often think about its opening lines as I consider life and choices. I hope it inspires you as much as it does me.
The Laughing Heart, by Charles Bukowski
your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.