A push and a pull

You are growing,

receiving punishments from life - 

disproportionate ones

your character is questioned,

your competence destroyed,

you fail in all your roles:

parent. child, spouse, friend. colleague,

you become an embodiment

of nonperformance.

You are condemned to be inward

withdrawn into a prison

from then on
your journey starts;
you thank every fiasco,

you bless those hurling

abuses, calling names.

Faux pas becomes

a push and a pull,

you think of punishments

as blessings.