The Land of Should- a poem

I don’t want to live in the land of “I should”
The land of “I might”
The land of “I could”

I choose to live in the land of “I will”
The land of “I can”
It gives me a thrill
just tapping these words into the reality of a white page
In those other lands I was filled with sadness and rage.

Now I live in “I will” and “I can” and “I do”
and when I live there my reality is true
When I traverse back to “I should” or “I must”
My creativity is stifled
My energy is bust

The land of “I shouldn’t” or “I can’t” is untrue
I can
But sometimes I just don’t want to
And that’s okay in the land of “I can”
It is my choice here, not some “ought”, “must” or “should”
It is my choice here and choice is good.

by - Andora Henson
written in 2006 or 2007 (not sure as i didn't date the original)