It’s sad when I think about it

How close I’ve come to so many things

How close I’ve come to success, to achievement

I think about all the effort it took to get there, to get close-

To push, to fight, and to move forward with no fear of what’s behind

Only to get so far, and though further than any one would have thought I could

But not where I wanted to be, is a hard hit to take

And then I ask myself just how much more would I have had to give

How much more would I have had to sacrifice to make it

And then I look at you and see that you are where I want to be

And it wounds me deeply, tears my heart out

But, you deserve it

I may have done the same things you’ve done but you’ve done them better

And you got what you wanted

You got what I wanted

Some would say that makes you my adversary, an enemy

And if I were one to give up then I would agree and say that is true

But I am not one to give up

There are things in life that I want

And I’ve only got this one life in which to get them

To give up would be to lay down my life

And I’m not ready to do that just yet

No, you are not my adversary

You are my inspiration

Because of you I know what to strive for

And with every bit of life that I have left in me

I will not only go where you have gone

But I will go one step further

And I will continue to go step after step

Until I am satisfied that I have buried you

Left you so far behind that you don’t even have the luxury

Of being in my dust

You may have gotten there first for sure

But believe me when I tell you that I too will make my mark

For too long have I suffered from regret, opportunity washed away

Too long have I gone without a life with anything gone right

I harbor feelings of hate that I just cannot explain

And I’ve taken a long ride on the blame train

Rode it from the beginning to the end of the line and back

Finding no answers

But no more

Today it ends

I am prepared to work harder, work longer, and work better than anyone out there

So that I may live my life the way I want to live it

The way it exists in my dream

How much more would I have had to give?

How much more would I have had to sacrifice?

I cannot give you an answer, not yet

But I am ready to do whatever is necessary

When I stand before you, having done what I have just set out to do

It is then and only then that I will tell you just what is necessary

What is required to live a dream

Fear can only exist in one form

It can only haunt me in the event that I do not succeed

And that my friend is my driving force

Doubt need not apply