I used to believe that experience was the best teacher.
That you had to feel the fire before you could understand the burn,
Walk through storms in order to appreciate the sun,
And lose yourself just to know the pain of finding your way back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But over time, life has a way of proving you wrong.
Some lessons don\u2019t need your scars.
Certain warnings don\u2019t require your tears.
Not every path has to be walked just to confirm it leads to destruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simply put, you don\u2019t need to drink the whole ocean
To realize it\u2019s salty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, I had a friend once
She was in love with a man who never chose her.
Yet despite everything, she stayed, convincing herself
That one day, maybe, he\u2019d change.
Someday, he\u2019d see her worth.
Perhaps he\u2019d love her back the way she deserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, that \u201cone day\u201d never came.
Instead, she lost herself piece by piece,
Doubting, apologizing, shrinking\u2026
Until the girl I once knew
Became a stranger to her own reflection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first, I didn\u2019t understand.
People warned her, and in turn, I warned her.
She looked at me and said, \u201cYou don\u2019t understand.\u201d
And I thought, maybe she was right.
Perhaps I didn\u2019t.
Maybe love was different for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, that changed when I became her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One day, I found myself excusing red flags,
Drowning in false hope,
Holding onto words that never turned into actions.
I kept sipping from a bitter cup,
Telling myself the taste would change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But guess what?
It never did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s when I learned\u2026
Crashing isn\u2019t necessary to know the road is slippery.
Being broken isn\u2019t required to understand the weight of pain.
Loving someone who doesn\u2019t love you back
Isn\u2019t proof that you have a heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the truth is, real love
Doesn\u2019t demand suffering as proof of its existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And beyond love, this lesson applies to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve seen people lose themselves chasing approval,
Wearing masks so often
That they forgot what their real faces looked like.
I told myself, \u201cNot me. I know who I am.\u201d
Yet somehow, I woke up one day
And realized I had become
Exactly what I swore I wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That wrong crowd?
That bad decision?
That situation I should have walked away from?
I saw others fall,
Yet still, I stepped forward,
Thinking, \u201cMaybe my story will be different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the reality is, pain doesn\u2019t rewrite itself just because you wish it would.
A broken heart feels the same
No matter how strong you thought you were.
And consequences\u2026 they don\u2019t care about your intentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So now, I listen.
At this point, I watch.
From here on, I believe wisdom when it whispers,
Rather than waiting for experience to scream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of the day, I\u2019ve learned
Drowning isn\u2019t required to understand the ocean is deep.
Touching the flame isn\u2019t needed to believe in fire.
Walking a broken road isn\u2019t necessary to confirm it leads nowhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t need to drink the whole ocean
To realize it\u2019s salty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So if you hear me,
If my words make your heart stop for even a second,
If you\u2019re standing at the edge of a decision
And wondering if you should ignore the warning signs\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because in the end, certain mistakes,
You don\u2019t have to make just to understand.
Some pain,
You don\u2019t have to feel just to believe.
Certain wisdom,
You can take now,
Rather than waiting for scars to teach you the hard way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And trust me,
You\u2019ll be better off for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
@admin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I used to believe that experience was the best teacher.That you had to feel the fire before you could understand the burn,Walk through storms in order to appreciate the sun,And lose yourself just to know the pain of finding your way back. But over time, life has a way of proving you wrong.Some lessons don\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3030,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[121,97,25,98],"tags":[35,49,34,67,61,55,53,22,48],"class_list":["post-3029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poem","category-poetry","category-solitude","category-storytime","tag-poems","tag-poetess","tag-poetry","tag-preciousowoko","tag-spokenwords","tag-stories","tag-story","tag-walkingshadowpoetry","tag-walkingshadowpoetrykenya"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-3713501.jpeg?fit=1880%2C1253&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2585,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-mighty-fall-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3029,"position":0},"title":"The mighty Fall by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"From a small, dusty place where dreams felt far,He rose from the ground, reaching for a star,Hunger was his friend, but hope held him tight,He worked through the night, chasing a light. He worked and he fought, when others would rest,He dreamed of a future, of having the best,He climbed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a cowboy falling on brown sand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-12950516.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-12950516.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-12950516.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-12950516.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-12950516.jpeg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3178,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/we-are-walking-paintings-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3029,"position":1},"title":"We are walking paintings by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"April 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Our lives,They are not just our own.They are stories written in real time,Pages turning with every step we take.They are footprints in the sand,Guiding those who come after us,A manual for the lost,A map for the wandering. We are walking paintings,Masterpieces in progress,Brushstrokes of pain and triumph,Shades of struggle,Layers of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2024-12-11-095841.png?fit=435%2C460&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2582,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/the-rise-and-the-fall-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3029,"position":2},"title":"“The Rise and the Fall” by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"September 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"He came from a place where the dust danced with the wind,A small house on the edge of the land,Where meals were scarce, but hope was plenty,He dreamed of a life where he\u2019d have more than enough. He worked through the nights, while others slept,Pushed through the days, with sweat\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POETRY"","block_context":{"text":"POETRY","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"man holding brown rope","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1458696.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1458696.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1458696.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1458696.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pexels-photo-1458696.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2206,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/youve-got-this%f0%9f%98%89\/","url_meta":{"origin":3029,"position":3},"title":"You’ve Got This!\ud83d\ude09!","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"May 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In the fields of life, young Tim did roam, A Christian lad with a heart called home. Through trials tough, he'd often say, \"You've got this,\" in his own way. Tim's faith, a light in darkest night, Guiding him with love so bright. With every challenge, big or small, He'd\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solitude"","block_context":{"text":"Solitude","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/solitude\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"black and white laptop","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-2740956.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-2740956.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-2740956.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-2740956.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-photo-2740956.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3155,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/shes-no-longer-here-but-her-love-still-fills-my-heart-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3029,"position":4},"title":"She\u2019s No Longer Here, But Her Love Still Fills My Heart by Walking Shadow poetry","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"March 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I used to wake up with tears in my eyes,Wishing, just for a moment, I could turn back time.Losing you felt like losing a piece of myself,Like a book missing its final chapter. At first, the pain was unbearable.Every morning felt heavier than the last.I would hear a joke and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/252fa3bb5c6bcc16764146bf2270bea7.jpg?fit=236%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2902,"url":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wait-one-more-second-by-walking-shadow-poetry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3029,"position":5},"title":"Wait One More Second by walking shadow poetry.","author":"walking shadow poetry kenya","date":"January 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Hey, you,You are an amazing human; not born by accident.I know it feels like the world is closing in,Like the weight on your chestKeeps getting heavier,Like your voice doesn\u2019t matter,It's Like no one sees you, But listen,You don\u2019t have to carry this alone.You don\u2019t have to end your story here.Pain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "poem"","block_context":{"text":"poem","link":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/SPOKENWORDSandMODERNDAYPOETRY\/poem\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"photo of a boat on a river","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-2178175.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-2178175.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-2178175.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/pexels-photo-2178175.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3029"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3031,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3029\/revisions\/3031"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingshadowpoetry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}