Unless

Unless you've felt pain,

How will you know

The value of anything that gives pleasure?

Unless you've hated somebody,

How will you ever know

The actual feeling of unconditionally loving someone?

Unless you've been rejected,

How will you know

The prize of acceptance?

Unless you feel guilty yourself,

How will you know

The value of someone else's apology?

Unless you've had the world point fingers

At you, leaving you in doubt with yourself,

How will you know the power of trusting yourself?

Unless you've had tears on your cheeks,

How will you know

How good they feel when you smile?

Unless you've been unjustly called names,

How wouldn't you think

Twice before calling another?

Unless your pride was hurt,

How else would you have realized

That you should prove to the world,

What you are, and what you can be?

Unless you've hurt someone,

How will you know how truly happy

You feel when you lighten up their face?

Unless you've let someone down,

How will you learn that expectations are

Merely for you to strive harder, and

Reach for the unlimited streams of your potential

And not to burden you?

Don't spurn the stones on your path,

The ones which really just push you forward;

Because by the end, they'd have followed you around,

And added up to make a castle around you!