G.K. UK Veteran

There was a time I couldn’t see
The man that I was meant to be,
My mind was loud, my heart was tired,
The peace I wanted had expired.

I carried things I couldn’t name,
Old memories, hurt, fear and shame,
I fought with things nobody knew,
And wondered how I’d make it through.

Then somewhere on that broken road,
You helped me understand my load,
You never promised pain would cease,
You simply showed me paths to peace.

You gave me tools, you gave me sight,
To face the dark and find the light,
Not change the past or make it right,
But stop it ruling me each night.

You taught me I could let things go,
That healing sometimes happens slow,
That I could choose which way to steer,
Instead of living ruled by fear.

My life’s not perfect never will,
There’ll always be another hill,
But now when storms arrive my way,
I know they do not have to stay.

Some people left, some ties are gone,
But somehow life keeps moving on,
I’ve learned that peace can sometimes mean
Leaving certain doors unseen.

I see things differently today,
I choose my steps, I choose my way,
I’m learning what deserves my fight,
And what to leave behind at night.

There’s still a world I want to see,
And places calling out to me,
One day I’ll board that plane alone,
And realise just how much I’ve grown.

Because courage isn’t having none
Of all the fears from which we run,
It’s feeling fear but walking through,
And trusting what you know is true.

So Des, these words are simply due,
A heartfelt, honest thanks to you,
For when I couldn’t find my way,
You helped me reach a brighter day.

You didn’t walk the road for me,
You helped me learn that I was free,
To take my past, accept my scars,
And still look upward towards the stars.

And if you ever wonder whether
The work you do can last forever,
Just know your guidance played a part
In bringing peace back to my heart.

From where I stood to where I stand,
I finally feel I understand:
I cannot choose what life puts through me,
But I can choose what it will do to me.

So from my heart, these words are true:
I’ll always be grateful, Des, to you.
You helped me see what I couldn’t then
That I could find myself again.