My all time favorite poem

Wisdom
by Phil Cerasoli
May 99

Life's simply an adventure ...nothing less and nothing more
And it's Destiny that starts you that first day.
But though your path's been scripted, it's your choices that decide
How well you've played the game along the way.

And when the journey's over and it's time to mark your score
That chronicles the progress that you've gained.
It's not the final tally of the wealth that you've amassed
Nor all the knowledge that you have attained.

It all comes down to wisdom and what you've learned of life
And how you've used that wisdom to unlock
The doors that hold the answers to the universe and more
And let you see the truths that others mock.

And not an ounce of wisdom's gained from all the games you've won,
Nor from those times you've finished far ahead.
It's only gained from lessons learned from all the times you've lost
And all those painful moments when you bled.

Oh, I know self pity's easy when your life has been besieged
And it's easy wishing that there was a way
To rise above the turmoil and live a life of ease
And have your troubles simply melt away.

But should that wish be granted, the danger that exists
Is that your search for wisdom falls apart.
Then when your trip is over you might come to realize
You're no better off than you were at the start.

So it's not that I'm a guru or a sage of brilliant mind,
But of this life I've taken quite a slice.
I've lost enough and bled enough to make me kind of feel
I'm qualified to offer this advice:

Play the hand that's dealt you; play the cards as best you can
And rejoice in all the time Life lets you win.
And then, for all the other times when Life has cut you deep
Sit back and feel the wisdom soaking in.