What is strength? Some folks might say,
‘How many pounds can you press each day?’
Or, ‘How many miles can you run?,
‘How many races have you won?’
The definition talks of “brawn”,
“brute force” and “might” and on and on.
Athletes speak of skill and speed
And the traits to help them too succeed.

But strength is really so much more,
than brawn, or speed, or miles, or score.
It’s not ‘ how many did you win?’
But, ‘ did you try, persist, stay in?’
It’s courage, discipline and grit
It’s facing change with pluck and wit.
It’s spunk and mettle day by day
The zeal to take life play by play.

Now some might say your life is hard
That you’ve been dealt with a bad card –
And yet you smile and move ahead
With optimism instead of dread.
You freely give your time and care
The world is better because you’re there.
You take lifes challenges in stride
My Friend – you are strength, personified!