How to Turn Bitterness, Fear, Pain and Rejection Into a Life of Prosperity

I lived a long life, there were good times and bad. But like a rat I felt trapped from the things in my past.

Most times I was miserable, there was some pain even some shame.

But like a rat, I felt trapped, and I was the only one to blame.

I visited my funeral, hardly anyone was there. My gravesite was barren, there was no one who even cared.

I lived a long life but I lived so selfishly; and in the end, my fruit was bitter, dried from the roots... down to the seeds.

I grew old and bitter, from unfulfilled dreams; then, became cold and selfish, so no one cared for me.

Yes, in the end my fruit was bitter dried to the roots and down to the seeds; and I was trapped just like a rat... but the one to blame was me!

So I visited my funeral, hardly anyone was there. At my grave there were no flowers, for no one even bothered to care.

As I searched their hearts and minds I got a chill from the cold. I guess the fruit, my seeds produced, caused me to reap what I had sown.

Does my poem seem dramatic? I don't think so...How many of us know people who can fit this poem? How many of us can relate to this poem ourselves? I love to create poetry which is true 'art from the heart' unfortunately, the words are not always beautiful, lyrical, or inspiring. Sometimes the words are meant to bring awareness and change.

When I first wrote this poem so many people came to mind who I felt fit these words; people who had, for reasons only known to themselves, never bothered to pursue their dreams; or, gave up when things became too difficult. The result was they became 'Bitter Fruit'

I wasn't surprised my poem rubbed some people the wrong way. However, I continue to be amazed at how some people never accepted responsibility for the choices they made. As you probably have guessed this poem is not about a piece of rotten fruit, but the importance of using your gifts.

Since I was a child I loved to create poetry, write song lyrics, and write my own short stories, I amazed my family and friends with my creative ability even then. Choosing a career as a writer would have been the path to go, but I allowed insecurities and lack of finances to shape and mold my future. I never relied on my natural inner ability, I chose to live a "safe life' with all the financial security it entailed; the problem was I was not happy and I couldn't understand why.

As I began a spiritual journey for my purpose in life, I was brought back to what I loved as a child. I realized I was unhappy because I had sacrificed my artistic abilities to conform to what was 'safe'. in other words, I did what I hated to make a living instead of doing what I loved and finding a way to make a living out of it, the result was I was slowly becoming. "Bitter Fruit"

Bitter Fruit is a poem about a person who never had the courage to pursue his dreams and, in the end, became bitter. Bitter with himself, bitter about life, and bitter with everyone around him, a person who became difficult and at the end of his life had little joy or love. But as the poem stated he only had himself to blame. The sad thing about misery is... not only does it love company, but, in the end, you really reap what you sow.

Many people who have read my work of poetry notice I mention the word "shame" quite a bit. So, some have asked me: What are you ashamed of? When I say shame, I don't mean I did so many shameful things, or, I did anything worse than anyone else. What I am referring to is the shame that you feel when your eyes are opened and you begin to see yourself. Genesis 3:7. The bible explains how the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened once they disobeyed God and they were ashamed because they stood naked before Him with their sin exposed. God had to sew tunics of skin to provide coverings for them because they had lost their covering and protection from God. When you stand naked before a perfect and righteous God, you're in full knowledge that you are a transgressor (a person who has knowingly sinned) and you are aware that you have blocked many blessings and opportunities due to a sinful nature that we inherited from the ADAMIC COVENANT.

We lost our covering from God due to disobedience. However, there is good news and this is why the gospel of Jesus is so important. Jesus came to provide us with His covering. The covering of the blood. The precious blood of Jesus cover's up our nakedness which is so offensive to a perfect God. We on our own will never have the high standards to make peace with God. Through the new covenant, we can now have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the truth and the way to everlasting life.

The Bible tells us that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Everyone on earth possesses a gift to contribute to the world. Some people don't see their gift as significant, but it's that attitude of not seeing the "big picture" that causes us to never fulfill our dreams in the first place.

I knew someone who was gifted in doing hair she would style our hair in creative styles that turned heads. She had no training or schooling, it was a natural born gift. When I suggested that she do hair for a living her reply was " I don't want to do that for a living, I just do hair for extra cash." She went on to a career she ended up hating always complaining about money. She never saw a bigger vision. Who said you had to do hair? She could have owned a string of salons, been an employer instead of an employee, a stylist to the stars, traveled and made lots of money ( which she would have loved) the point is she thought small and never imagined her natural born gift could bring prosperity.

What I love most about this poem is that it is a gift to me. A gift of understanding. Understanding that storing up treasures on earth is meaningless unless you can take them with you. Unfortunately, some people wait until they're old, sick, dying, or in the case of my fictitious person (in a fictitious sense) are viewing their funeral and realized that what really mattered was that they loved...and were loved.

The Purpose driven Life; by Rick Warren is an exceptional book to read for anyone searching for purpose and understanding. I read this book along with my bible and it is truly food for the soul.