Not The Man I Used To Be by C. Scott

I used to be one who would accept what happened
Accept it as "what should be"
I was one that said that life happens to you
But I am no longer the man I used to be

Life has changed me over the past couple of months...
In ways I am better
In ways I am not
But there is no mistaking
That I am not the man I used to be

I used to be one that "went with the flow"
Always trying to put everyone else's needs before mine
Always trying to be sure that everyone else was happy
That they were happy with what I chose to do and be
And that they were happy with the decisions that I made
But I am no longer the man I used to be

Now, I am trying to live my life for me
Making the decisions that I want to make to make me happy
Standing up for myself when I feel the need
Telling people what I am truly thinking
Telling people when I don't agree with what they are saying or doing
Because I am not the man I used to be

I like the person that I am becoming
I like the feeling of finally being "free"
It has come as a shock to some people
That I am not always as conciliatory as I once was
But, they will also learn
That I am not the man I used to be

The changes that I am undergoing are not all of my doing
But that is not a bad thing either
Sometimes you have to be forced to change
And sometimes being forced helps you make other changes as well

The man I used to be was a good man
A man who put others before himself
The changes I am making
Will not change the fact that I am a good man,
They will just allow me to be the man I need to be
The man I want to be...
Just not the man I used to be

Becca (68.186.58.20) -- Friday, September 3 2010, 08:33 am

Changes
Great Poem! Sometimes with lifes challenges we discover that going with the flow isn't enough anymore.......

Tarna (75.16.232.3) -- Friday, September 3 2010, 09:55 pm

Hear, Hear
Amazing how middle age can make you feel this way.. Remembering the fact of 'who you were and still are' and learning after a long time that you have to be true to yourself too. That your needs matter too. I like this one alot... I fully am in this same place...

LinzAy (68.83.216.74) -- Wednesday, September 8 2010, 11:38 pm

....
Really happy to read this.

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