I
have stepped off the racing track,
and
closed the ledger of who is ahead.
I am no longer running against the crowd;
I am planting seeds in the soil instead.
Let the younger ones see no rival here,
just a wide, welcoming shade to draw near.
My
own mountain has already been climbed,
I have touched the peak and stood in the sun.
Every dream I chased is safely in my hands,
the quiet victories are already won.
Now, my journey is a map I leave behind,
for younger travelers to follow and find.
When
I step out of the classroom door,
I will walk with my head held high.
I was a fierce runner on the field,
but never a wolf under the sky.
I leave the echoes of the lessons I taught,
and the honest battles that I fought.
The
sweet memories belong to those who cared,
the rough edges belong to those who walked away.
But to the ones who cheered and the ones who threw stones:
you both kept me sharp, day after day.
Because of the love, and because of the test,
you both pushed this heart to be its absolute best.