Life Isn't About Keeping Score

Life isn't about keeping score.

It's not about how many people

you number as your friends,

Or how accepted you are.

Nor about your plans this weekend

or if you'll be alone.

It isn't about who your family is

or how much money they have.

Not what kind of car you drive,

Or where you went to school.

It's not about how beautiful

or ugly you think you are.

Or what clothes you wear,

Or what kind of music you listen to.

It's not about if your hair is blonde,

red, black, or brown,

Or if your skin is too light or too dark.

Not about what grades you get,

how smart you are,

how smart everybody else thinks you are,

or how smart standardized tests say you are.

It's not about what clubs you're in

or how good you are at "your" sport.

It's not about the talents

you were born with,

Or your chosen vocation in life.

Life is about who you love and who you hurt.

It's about who you make happy

or unhappy with intent.

It's about keeping or betraying trust.

It's about friendship,

used as a sanctity or a weapon.

It's about what you say and mean,

maybe hurtful, maybe heartening.

About starting rumors

and contributing to petty gossip.

It's about what judgments you pass
and who they trickle down to.

It's about who you've ignored

with purpose and full control.

It's about jealousy, fear,

anger, ignorance, and revenge.

It's about carrying inner hate and love,

letting it grow and spreading it.

But most of all...

it's about using your life to touch

or poison other people's hearts

in such a way that could have

never occurred alone, without you.

It's about lifting people up,

instead of contributing to their downfall.

It's about spreading joy and hope,

instead of sorrow and despair.

Only you can choose the way

those hearts are affected

by your touch...

and those are the choices

that life is all about.