If You Didn't

If your lips didn’t bleed words of encouragement

If your hands didn’t scar evidence of hard work

If your mind didn’t push the limits of understanding

If your ears didn’t hurt by the loud nonsense they call living

If your eyes didn’t cry for my sake and yours

If your tears didn’t tell me I’m worth every bit of struggle you faced

If your feet didn’t walk hot coals to feed my knowledge

Then maybe I would have never wanted to try

But since you did all those things,

I’ll succeed

I promise you this.