I’ve been hurt too many times before
Given guidance that was misguided
I was told right from wrong
Been told what was good and what was evil
My worldview was in black and white
There’d never been any room for grey
I was told that there’s one way to live
Either you follow or you don’t

But as I’ve gotten older
I’ve begun to see that life is nuanced and complex
There’s more to life than obedience and commands
It’s more than just following the rules
There’s beauty in life, but you have to seek it out
Shades of grey, and specks of color
A vibrance to life that the institution tried its best to cover

I lived a life without any life
Eked out an existence without any exuberance
I lived because I had to, not because I wanted to
Each day was as monotonous as the last
I was stuck in a rut, forever & a day
A hamster on a wheel
Just a cog on the spoke of life
Having life dictated to me
Following a script

I didn’t know any better
Had been told that decent was good enough
But I had settled for mediocre
Convinced myself that I wasn’t worthy of something better
I wasn’t good enough, wasn’t talented enough, this & that
The lies I told myself were excuses not to live
The excuses I gave were “reason” enough not to give

But I know better
I’ve grown and matured
I see now that life is full of vibrance
Shades of grey, and specks of color
There’s more to life than just living

You have plenty to offer, you have much more to give
You were put here for a reason
Each human has a part to play
You find your shades of grey, you find your specks of color
You find your niche in life, and you find what drives you forward
All things will come to an end, but your life is far from over
Shades of grey, and living color
The vibrance of life has been gifted to you
The peace and comfort will guide you through