In the end
It doesn’t matter what you had
It matters what you gave.
In the end
It doesn’t matter what you avoided
It matters what you did.
In the end
It doesn’t matter what they thought of you
It matters how you perceived yourself.
What joy gave your own life meaning
What peace you found in your own heart.
What indelible moments you left in the hearts and minds
Of the people you loved and who loved you.
©Alison Jean Hankinson
Paul Scribbles asked us to write about “the end” for d’verse.
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Hues of Hankinson 
Amen to that.
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I second that amen. What remarkable words of wisdom.
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Very nice. The first stanza says it all.
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For me I think these lines are the strongest. This is a beautiful poem.
‘What indelible moments you left in the hearts and minds
Of the people you loved and who loved you.’
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“What indelible moments you left in the hearts and minds” that legacy is all I could wish for!
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What a glorious view of life you have! : D
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“It matters how you perceived yourself.”…Absolutely, the most important thing in life & the first stanza.
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Oh those indelible moments!
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This is a great prism to look at life through. That first stanza really stands out for me.
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I love this! The things that matter in the end really are our actions, our choices, and how we treated those around us ❤
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Wise words, well written. None of us are truly gone so long as we live in the memories of lives we’ve touched along the way.
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I agree with you wholeheartedly. XX
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You’ve got your head on straight, my friend. Sage words, beautifully put.
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Exactly! Well said and beautifully too!
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