After a While You Learn...by Veronica A. Shoffstall, © 1971

After some time you learn the differenceThe subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning

And company doesn't always mean security

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't

contracts

And presents aren't promises

And you begin to accept your defeats

With your head up and your eyes

ahead

With the grace of a woman

Not the grief of a child

And you learn to build all your roads on today

Because tomorrow's

ground is too uncertain for

plans

That even the sun burns if you get too much

After a while you learn

And learn that it doesn't matter how much you do care

She will hurt you once in a whileAnd you need to forgive her for that

And you accept that it doesn't matter how good a person is

You learn You learn that talking that talking can relieve can relieve emotional emotional painpain

You learn You learn that talking that talking can relieve can relieve emotional emotional painpain

And just a few seconds to destroy

it

You discover that it takes several years to build a relationship based on confidence

And that you can do something

just in an instantwhich you will regret

for the rest of your life

You learn that the true friendshipsContinue to grow even from miles away

You learn that the true friendshipsContinue to grow even from miles away

And that what matters isn't WHAT you have in your life

But WHO you have in your life

And that what matters isn't WHAT you have in your life

But WHO you have in your life

And that good friends are the familywhich we are allowed to choose

You learn that we don't have to switch your friends

If we understand that friends can also change

You realize that you are your best friendAnd that you can do anything or nothing

And have good moments together

You discover that the people

who you most care about in your life

are taken from you so quickly

So we must always leave the people who we care about with lovely words

You learn that the circumstances and the

environment have influence upon us

But we are responsible for ourselves

You learn that the circumstances and the

environment have influence upon us

But we are responsible for ourselves

You start to learn that you should not

compare yourself with others

But with the best you can be

You discover that it takes a long time

to become the person

you wish to be

And that the time is short

You learn that it doesn't matter where you have reached

But where you are going to

But if you don't know where you are

going to

anywhere will do

You learn that either you control your acts

Or they shall control you

And that to be flexible doesn't mean

to be weak or not to have

personality

Because it doesn't matter how delicate and fragile the situation is

There are always two sides

You learn that heroes are those who did what was necessary to be done

Facing the consequences

You learn that patience demands a lot of practice

You discover that sometimesThe person who you most expect to be kicked by when you fall

Is one of the few who will help you to stand up

You learn that maturity has more to do with the kinds of experiences you hadand what you have learnedlearned from themthan how many birthdays you have celebrated

You learn that there are more from your parents inside you than you thought

You learn that there are more from your parents inside you than you thought

You learn that we shall never tell a child that

dreams are silly

Very few things are so humiliating

And it would be a tragedy if they believed in it

You learn that when you are angryYou have the right to be angry

But this doesn't give you the right to be cruel

You discover that only because someone doesn't love you the way you would like him toIt doesn't mean that this person doesn't love you the most he can

You discover that only because someone doesn't love you the way you would like him toIt doesn't mean that this person doesn't love you the most he can

Because there are people who love usBut just don't know how to show or live

that

Because there are people who love usBut just don't know how to show or live

that

You learn that sometimes it isn't

enough being forgiven by someone

Sometimes you have to learn how to forgive

yourself

You learn that sometimes it isn't

enough being forgiven by someone

Sometimes you have to learn how to forgive

yourself

You learn that with the same harshness you

judgeSome day you will be condemned

You learn that with the same harshness you

judgeSome day you will be condemned

You learn that it doesn't matter in how many pieces your heart has been

brokenThe world doesn't stop for you to fix it

You learn that

time isn't something you can turn back You learn that

time isn't something you can turn back

Therefore you must plant your own garden and decorate your own soulInstead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers

And you learn that you really can endureYou really are strong

And you can go so farther than you thought you could go

And you learn that you really can endureYou really are strong

And you can go so farther than you thought you could go

And that life really has a value And you have value within the life

And that our gifts are betrayers and make us lose the good we could conquer

And that our gifts are betrayers and make us lose the good we could conquer

After a While You Learn...by Veronica A. Shoffstall,© 1971