30+ Inspirational Short Poems About Life And Struggles

Life is a rollercoaster ride full of twists and turns. If you are looking for some beautiful poems about life, this post is for you. A good poem gives you different perspectives on life through the poet’s experience or imagination. Reading poetry helps you make sense of the world in a novel way. In this post, we have combined several moving poems about life by some influential poets. Read them and get inspired to live your best life.

In This Article

Inspirational Poems About Life

These poems have a deeper understanding and a meaningful insight towards life, and the poets convey their experiences and lessons that life has taught them through this form of literature.

1. Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit – rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow – you may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor’s cup;
and he learned too late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out – the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and when you never can tell how close you are,
it may be near when it seems afar;
so stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit – it’s when things seem worst, you must not quit.

— Edgar Albert Guest

2. Finding Hope

I’ve always viewed life from the side lines,
Just watching it pass me by.
In the past, too afraid to just let go and live,
And lately too tired to try.

I’ve envied the people around me
So invested in living each day,
While I spent my time hiding out from the world
And searching for ways to escape.

For most of my life I truly believed
I was here to help somebody else,
But now it’s so clear it was just an excuse.
To avoid living life for myself.

It’s sad that our lives and the pain we endure
Can weaken our strength to move on,
But if we get lost in the scars of our past,
Without knowing our lives will be gone.

It’s true, people are disappointing,
They can turn in the blink of an eye,
But we can’t avoid hurting each other,
When we all want a chance at this life.

But there’s something I’ve learned through the wisdom of age,
A truth about all of our lives,
And that is no matter what path we each take,
In the end, we just want to survive.

So the time has now come to conquer my fears
And to stand up and face a new day.
Let the hurts of my past wash away with my tears
And stop letting my life slip away.

— Pat A. Fleming

3. Opportunity

With doubt and dismay you are smitten
You think there’s no chance for you, son?
Why, the best books haven’t been written
The best race hasn’t been run,
The best score hasn’t been made yet,
The best song hasn’t been sung,
The best tune hasn’t been played yet,
Cheer up, for the world is young!

No chance? Why the world is just eager
For things that you ought to create
Its store of true wealth is still meager
Its needs are incessant and great,
It yearns for more power and beauty
More laughter and love and romance,
More loyalty, labor and duty,
No chance- why there’s nothing but chance!

For the best verse hasn’t been rhymed yet,
The best house hasn’t been planned,
The highest peak hasn’t been climbed yet,
The mightiest rivers aren’t spanned,
Don’t worry and fret, faint hearted,
The chances have just begun,
For the Best jobs haven’t been started,
The Best work hasn’t been done.

— Berton Braley

4. Faith and Courage in Life

In life there are people that will hurt us and cause us pain,
but we must learn to forgive and forget and not hold grudges.

In life there are mistakes we will make,
but we must learn from our wrongs and grow from them.

In life there are regrets we will have to live with,
but we must learn to leave the past behind and realize it is something we can’t change.

In life there are people we will lose forever and can’t have back,
but we must learn to let go and move on.

In life there are going to be obstacles that will cause interference,
but we must learn to overcome these challenges and grow stronger.

In life there are fears that will hold us back from what we want,
but we must learn to fight them with the courage from within.

God holds our lives in his hands. He holds the key to our future.
Only he knows our fate.

He sees everything and knows everything.
Everything in life really does happen for a reason: “God’s Reason”

— Angie M Flores

5. The True Meaning of Life

The years have passed by,
In the blink of an eye,
Moments of sadness,
And joy has flown by.

People I loved,
Have come and have gone,
But the world never stopped,
And we all carried on.

Life wasn’t easy,
And the struggles were there,
Filled with times that it mattered,
Times I just didn’t care.

I stood on my own,
And I still found my way,
Through some nights filled with tears,
And the dawn of new days.

And now with old age,
It’s become very clear,
Things I once found important,
Were not why I was here.

And how many things,
That I managed to buy,
Were never what made me,
Feel better inside.

And the worries and fears,
That plagued me each day,
In the end of it all,
Would just fade away.

But how much I reached out,
To others when needed,
Would be the true measure,
Of how I succeeded.

And how much I shared,
Of my soul and my heart,
Would ultimately be,
What set me apart.

And what’s really important,
Is my opinion of me,
And whether or not,
I’m the best I can be.

And how much more kindness,
And love I can show,
Before the Lord tells me,
It’s my time to go.

—  Pat A. Fleming

6. If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

— Rudyard Kipling

This poem encourages people to adopt an optimistic outlook regardless of the situation. Purvee Chauhan, a blogger, writes, ”I absolutely love the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling. Handwriting and sharing it with someone is one of my favorite gifting options, or writing it in some blog posts, or sharing it in some of my speeches. The poem has a way of sticking with me, and, how it has become a part of my personality. Thinking about it gives me goosebumps (i).”

protip_icon Did you know?
Reading poems improves your concentration, memory, and critical thinking. So read one poem a day and have a short discussion about it with your family or friends to stay focused and strong even on a bad day.

Short Poems About Life

As one of the powerful forms of expression, poetry provides advice, suggestions, gives courage, and motivates to move forward in life. So let us read through some short, meaningful verses here.

7. Shine

Follow your passions, and you wiil be fine
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Life is something we all share,
Just like oxygen in the air.
The way we live it, is up to us,
With a negative or with a plus.

Life is something we should cherish,
We never know when we’ll perish.
Live each and every single day,
Smell the flowers, stop and play.

Life is something we’ve been blessed,
Choice is yours; choose your quest.
Follow your passions, and you’ll be fine,
With the right attitude, you will shine.

— Unknown

8. Perseverance

We must not hope to be mowers,
And to gather the ripe, golden ears,
Unless we have first been sowers,
And watered the flowers with tears.

It is not just as we take it,
This wonderful world of ours
Life’s field will yield as we make it
A harvest of thorns or of flowers.

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

9. Unity

If I were told that I must die to-morrow,
That the next sun
Which sinks should bear one past all fear and sorrow
For anyone,
All the fight fought, all the short journey through:
What should I do?
I do not think that I should shrink or falter,
But just go on,
Doing my work, nor change, nor seek to alter
Aught that is gone;
But rise and move and love and smile and pray
For one more day.

— Susan Coolidge

10. Struggles Come Your Way

Life is better when we support and love
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Just because struggles come your way
Doesn’t mean it can ruin your day
The good and the bad are a way of life
Don’t get down; move beyond the strife.

We must live life, taking things in stride
Helping each other, stopping any divide
Life is better when we support and love
And that is what’s expected from above.

You see, we were given choices to make
We are not robots; we are not fake
So if you’re faced with a trial or two
Don’t give up; let others help you through.

— Catherine Pulsifer

11. A Life Built

A life built on the sands of celebrity
Can be wrecked by the rains of reverses.

A life built on the sands of materialism
Can be destroyed by the floods of adversity.

A life built on the sands of pleasure
Can be blown down by the winds of disillusionment.

Only the life that is built on the rock of character
Can withstand the tempests of time.

— William Arthur Ward

protip_icon Did you know?
Poetry therapy is a subtype of bibliotherapy where poetry is incorporated into the treatment to help a person better comprehend their feelings and those of others and improve their quality of life.

12. Paint Your Life

Life is like a piece of art,
It requires lots of heart.
Choose your paint and your brush,
Take your time, avoid the rush.

Before you paint, choose your theme,
Don’t be afraid to follow your dream.
It’s alright to make a mistake.
Your painting is real; it’s not fake.

Look at your painting, don’t be crying,
Begin again; keep on trying.
Your painting is never fully complete,
Enjoy the process; make sure it’s sweet.

— Unknown

13. When Does Life Begin

Poems about life
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Does life begin when you obtain more things?
Or does life begin when you make big earnings?
Does life begin when tomorrow dawns
Or does tomorrow just make you yawn?

The only life we have to live
Is today the day we have to give
Don’t wait for a certain thing
For happiness to bring.

Live each day and live it full
Don’t waste it and be a fool
Begin each day and be thankful for
All that the day has in store!

— Catherine Pulsifer

14. Time Is Swift

Pluck the rose while blooming;
Now ’tis fresh and bright;
Wait not till to-morrow;
Time is swift in flight.

Do thy deeds of kindness.
Ere to-morrow’s light;
What may come, we know not;
Time is swift in flight.

Wouldst thou make life useful.
Work before ’tis night;
Else thou’lt be regretting.
Time is swift in flight.

— Unknown

15. Bumpy Ride

Life has many ups and downs,
Loving smiles and also frowns.
Good events and some are bad,
Happy emotions, others mad.
It can be a bumpy ride,
How you handle it, you decide!

— Unknown

16. O Me! O life!

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

— Walt Whitman

Deep Poems About Life

The poems demonstrate life’s profound insights and complexities, including its challenges, joys, and moments of contentment. They also offer a space for reflection on life’s journey. Although time passes quickly, it also has the power to heal and inspire us to overcome obstacles and keep going.

17. Each Life Converges to some Centre

Each life converges to some center
Expressed or still;
Exists in every human nature
A goal,

Admitted scarcely to itself, it may be,
Too fair
For credibility’s temerity
To dare.

Adored with caution, as a brittle heaven,
To reach
Were hopeless as the rainbow’s raiment
To touch,

Yet persevered toward, surer for the distance;
How high
Unto the saints’ slow diligence
The sky!

Ungained, it may be, by a life’s low venture,
But then,
Eternity enables the endeavoring
Again.

— Emily Dickinson

18. Life

Life, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?
Rapidly, merrily,
Life’s sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily
Enjoy them as they fly!
What though Death at times steps in,
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O’er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!

— Charlotte Brontë

19. Life Is a Privilege

Life is a privilege. Its youthful days
Shine with the radiance of continuous Mays.
To live, to breathe, to wonder and desire,
To feed with dreams the heart’s perpetual fire;
To thrill with virtuous passions and to glow
With great ambitions–in one hour to know
The depths and heights of feeling–God! in truth
How beautiful, how beautiful is youth!

Life is a privilege. Like some rare rose
The mysteries of the human mind are unclosed.
What marvels lie in earth and air and sea,
What stores of knowledge wait our opening key,
What sunny roads of happiness lead out
Beyond the realms of indolence and doubt,
And what large pleasures smile upon and bless
The busy avenues of usefulness.

Life is a privilege. Though noontide fades
And shadows fall along the winding glades;
Though joy-blooms wither in the autumn air,
Yet the sweet scent of sympathy is there.
Pale sorrow leads us closer to our kind,
And in the serious hours of life we find
Depths in the soul of men which lend new worth
And majesty to this brief span of earth.

Life is a privilege. If some sad fate
Sends us alone to seek the exit gate;
If men forsake us as the shadows fall,
Still does the supreme privilege of all
Come in that reaching upward of the soul
To find the welcoming presence at the goal,
And in the knowledge that our feet have trod
Paths that lead from and must lead back to God.

— Ella Wheeler Wilcox

20. Death and Life

Twas in the grave-yard’s gruesome gloom
That May and I were mated;
We sneaked inside and on a tomb
Our love was consummated.
It’s quite alright, no doubt we’ll wed,
Our sin will go unchidden . . .
Ah! sweeter than the nuptial bed
Are ecstasies forbidden?

And as I held my sweetheart close,
And she was softly sighing,
I could not help but think of those
In peace below us lying.
Poor folks! No disrespect we meant,
And beg you’ll be forgiving;
We hopes the dead will not resent
The rapture of the living.

And when in death I, too, shall lie,
And lost to those who love me,
I wish two sweethearts roving by
Will plight their troth above me.
Oh do not think that I will grieve
To hear the vows they’re voicing,
And if their love new life conceive,
‘Tis I will be rejoicing.

— Robert William Service

21. Each Moment Is Precious

Live in the moment,
Just take it all in.
Pay attention to everything,
Right there and right then.
Don’t let your mind wander
To what’s coming next.
Cherish this moment
And give it your best.
Don’t let tomorrow
Make you rush through today,
Or too many great moments
Will just go to waste.
And the person you’re with,
In that moment you share,
Give them all of your focus;
Be totally there.
Laugh till it hurts,
Let the tears drop.
Fill up each moment
With all that you’ve got.
Don’t miss the details;
The lesson is there.
Don’t get complacent;
Stay sharp and aware.
It can take but a moment
To change your life’s path.
And once it ticks by,
There is no going back.
In just 60 seconds,
You may make a new friend.
Find your true love,
Or see a life start or end.
You become who you are
In those moments you live.
And the growth’s not in taking
But in how much you give.
Life is just moments,
So precious and few.
Whether valued or squandered,
It’s all up to you!

— Pat A. Fleming

22. Life Doesn’t Frighten Me

Shadows on the wall
Noises down the hall
Life doesn’t frighten me at all

Bad dogs barking loud
Big ghosts in a cloud
Life doesn’t frighten me at all

Mean old Mother Goose
Lions on the loose
They don’t frighten me at all

Dragons breathing flame
On my counterpane
That doesn’t frighten me at all.

I go boo
Make them shoo
I make fun
Way they run
I won’t cry
So they fly
I just smile
They go wild

Life doesn’t frighten me at all.

Tough guys fight
All alone at night
Life doesn’t frighten me at all.

Panthers in the park
Strangers in the dark
No, they don’t frighten me at all.

That new classroom where
Boys all pull my hair
(Kissy little girls
With their hair in curls)
They don’t frighten me at all.

Don’t show me frogs and snakes
And listen for my scream,
If I’m afraid at all
It’s only in my dreams.

I’ve got a magic charm
That I keep up my sleeve
I can walk the ocean floor
And never have to breathe.

Life doesn’t frighten me at all
Not at all
Not at all.

Life doesn’t frighten me at all.

— Maya Angelou

23. Life is Fine

I went down to the river,
I sat down on the bank.
I tried to think but couldn’t,
So I jumped in and sank.

I came up once and hollered!
I came up twice and cried!
If that water hadn’t a-been so cold
I might’ve sunk and died.

But it was Cold in that water! It was cold!

I took the elevator
Sixteen floors above the ground.
I thought about my baby
And thought I would jump down.

I stood there and I hollered!
I stood there and I cried!
If it hadn’t a-been so high
I might’ve jumped and died.

But it was High up there! It was high!

So since I’m still here livin’,
I guess I will live on.
I could’ve died for love–
But for livin’ I was born
Though you may hear me holler,
And you may see me cry–
I’ll be dogged, sweet baby,
If you gonna see me die.

Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine!

— Langston Hughes

Famous Poems About Life

These poems showcase different values and beliefs in the society, such as gratitude, wisdom, fulfillment, facing challenges, spirituality, mortality, and more. As a result, they offer valuable guidance on handling different life situations.

24. The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves, no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

— Robert Frost

25. Life

Carnival of careless joys
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CHILDREN, ye have not lived, to you, it seems
Life is a lovely stalactite of dreams,
Or carnival of careless joys that leap
About your hearts like billows on the deep
In flames of amber and of amethyst.

Children, ye have not lived, ye but exist
Till some resistless hour shall rise and move
Your hearts to wake and hunger after love,
And thirst with passionate longing for the things
That burns your brows with blood-red sufferings.

Till ye have battled with great grief and fears,
And borne the conflict of dream-shattering years,
Wounded with fierce desire and worn with strife,
Children, ye have not lived: for this is life.

— Sarojini Naidu

26. Later Life

Something this foggy day, a something which
Is neither of this fog nor of today,
Has set me dreaming of the winds that play
Past certain cliffs, along one certain beach,
And turn the topmost edge of waves to spray:

Ah, pleasant pebbly strand so far away,
So out of reach while quite within my reach,
As out of reach as India or Cathay!
I am sick of where I am and where I am not,
I am sick of foresight and of memory,
I am sick of all I have and all I see,
I am sick of self, and there is nothing new;

Oh, weary impatient patience of my lot!
Thus with myself: how fares it, Friends, with you?

— Christina Rossetti

27. Life

What is our life? A play of passion,
Our mirth the music of division,
Our mother’s wombs the tiring-houses be,
Where we are dressed for this short comedy.
Heaven the judicious sharp spectator is,
That sits and marks still who doth act amiss.

Our graves that hide us from the setting sun
Are like drawn curtains when the play is done.
Thus march we, playing, to our latest rest,
Only we die in earnest; that’s no jest.

— Sir Walter Raleigh

28. My Inner Life

Poems about life
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‘Tis true my garments threadbare are,
And sorry poor I seem;
But only I am richer far
Than any poet’s dream.
For I’ve a hidden life no one
Can ever hope to see;
A sacred sanctuary none
May share with me.

Aloof I stand from out the strife,
Within my heart a song;
By virtue of my inner life
I to myself belong.
Against man-ruling, I rebel,
Yet do not fear defeat,
For to my secret citadel
I may retreat.

Oh, you who have an inner life
Beyond this dismal day
With wars and evil rumors rife,
Go blessedly your way.
Your refuge hold inviolate;
Unto yourself be true,
And shield serene from sordid fate
The Real You.

— Robert William Service

29. The Happiest Age

What age is happiest? Had you asked me,
I would have made this plea: the Now is best.
What joy to live with zest each newborn day;
and from the Moment, wrest what Life will give away.
The Past is but a guest who came and went
and left this one behest: to be content.

Think how To-day is blest!
We’ve eyes to see Nature in Beauty drest for you, for me.
What matters that the crest of Youth is past.
Youth lives within the breast with joys that last.
The will to do our best, and hands for giving.
Oh! Now’s the happiest, best time for living!

What age is happiest?
Oh! hear my vow, for I have put the test—the happiest’s Now.
Sweet sighs and kindly jest for warmth and cheer; and
Love’s most high bequest to crown the year.

— Wilhelmina Stitch


protip_icon Quick tip
You may improve your writing by reading many poems and may draw inspiration to face the struggles. Writing poems can also enhance your self-awareness and can be therapeutic.

30. Life’s Progress

Down the mountains, down the hills,
Trickling on forever;
Gentle springs make little rills,
Little rills the river.

Rivers rolling to the sea.
Lose themselves in ocean,
Bearing on their bosoms free
Noble ships in motion.

Such is life, a constant change,
Still from small to greater;
Let us learn the lesson strange
Taught by our Creator:

Life is giv’n for noble ends,
Lofty thoughts and actions,
Winning to our bosom — friends
Gain’d in life’s transactions.

Ah! soon we’ll reach life’s ocean strand,
Just like the mighty river,
Safe in the hollow of that Hand
Which holds the seas forever.

— John Imrie

31. Leisure

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?-

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

— W.H. Davies

Note: The poems in this collection are not original works of MomJunction but have been sourced from various authors. No claim of ownership is being made by us. Credit has been given wherever the details were available. If you are the original author of any poem and wish to have it credited or removed, please contact us. We value the creative rights of authors and will address your request promptly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some benefits of reading inspirational poems about life?

Exploring inspiring poems about life can provide an opportunity for personal reflection and a deeper understanding of existence and the world. It can also serve as a source of motivation for individuals to make the most out of their time on this planet.

2. Why do people find solace in inspirational poems about life?

People often find solace in reading inspirational poems since they offer comfort, hope, and encouragement to deal with challenges in life. They also inspire people to persevere through struggles and find their purpose in life through positive contemplations.

3. Can a poem about life be both sad and uplifting?

A poem about life can contain elements of both sadness and upliftment. It delves into human emotions, acknowledging challenges and hardships yet providing hope, resilience, and inspiration to navigate adversity and find strength in difficult circumstances.

4. How can reading poems about life help us reflect on our lives?

Engaging with life poems enables us to delve into diverse perspectives, emotions, and experiences. This exploration prompts introspection, enhances self-awareness, and fosters reflection on our personal lives and relationships.

A good poem about life can show you a different aspect of life that you may not have explored before. These interesting poems on life can help you develop a broader spectrum of perspectives and make you more accepting of people and their views. They encourage you to learn about through careful observation and analysis. You can use one of these poems to share your experiences, memories, emotions, joys, sorrows, failures, etc. If you are someone who can feel a lot but cannot express and put their feelings in words, you can scout through this post and find a poem that best suits your emotions and philosophy of life.

Infographic: Compose Your Own Life Poem

These were a few inspirational life poems written by famous poets. You could share your life experiences through poems too. If you’re unsure how to get started, our infographic below will help you with your poetic journey. Remember these points while composing your life poem.

be the poet (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

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Life passes by so quickly yet we don’t realize it while living. The short poem about life in this video will open your eyes to living puposefully.

Personal Experience: Source

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