When I was a teacher, I gave my high school juniors an assignment to make a collection of poems in different categories as a part of an introduction to a poetry unit. Two of the ten poems were to be original, and the rest they were required to gather from books by other authors. The students had to thoughtfully comment on each of the poems, including the two they wrote themselves. One of those original poems had to be a poem that celebrates who they are. This was to be a spin-off of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself.”

It got me to thinking about celebrating and singing myself, and how many of my family and friends have inspired me and guided me to look for, and feel, the positive in life. I learned from them that we should celebrate ourselves regardless of what is happening in our lives…sometimes in spite of what is happening. No matter what the circumstances, no matter how easy or difficult the experiences, it is all worthy of celebration. Life is just life and life is good! I celebrate myself and sing myself.

The tune of my very own song is a joyful one, full of laughter and mystery. The people in my life surround me with love and I face my challenges with competence and confidence. I’m secure in the knowledge that failure holds the promise of true and pure learning. Oh yes! Lots of that!

I have a big, round life. Just when I think it’s going nowhere, it circles around and makes a satisfying a tie-in to its previous self. This is not a life that is going in circles though; it is a life full of valuable, interesting and sometimes happy connections.

Mine is certainly a life worthy of celebration. And in addition to the inspiration from family and friends, I owe a lot of my energy for perseverance to nature. Those palm trees and other plants that, not only survived the hurricane five months ago, but are going strong, growing new branches and hanging in there, are great mentors telling us, “Don’t let life’s storms get you down.” Consequently, I think it wise to stand with my shoulders back and my head held high. Why not greet each day with a happy dance? Gloom is for cowards. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. It’s easy to let difficulties get us down. The heroes are the ones who say, “Okay, bring it on! I can handle this.”

My father-in-law is a perfect example of this. He has stage 4 colon cancer and the doctors tell him to get his life in order, eat and drink anything he wants, and enjoy what’s left—six months to a year. I can only imagine how overwhelming and sad it must have been to hear this, but he is taking it in stride. What a great guy, to be thinking of others, especially his dear wife, and making arrangements for the inevitable. He says, “Well, if it weren’t to be this, it would be something else. I’m 84 and have lived a good life, and I’ll keep on living as best I can till it’s over.” His “what will be, will be” attitude is inspiring to friends and family. Bravo, Dad. You demonstrate real grace. You are my hero.

Somewhere inside each of us is a place we can retreat, be still, and listen to our own hearts. Then we can muster the necessary tools to dance with whatever life presents. Celebrate and Sing Yourself. Oh, and it might help to hold each other’s hands. What do you think?

Here’s the beginning of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”