picking up and discarding words along the way

[Whitebird Sings]

i have come to understand
that i read
to find parts of myself.

i write for some of the same reasons.

sometimes the words i find
outside of me
and
inside of me
reveal pieces of me
to me
for the first time,
even now.

sometimes words reveal
pieces of others.

somewhere i picked up these words,
“watch your thoughts, for they become words.
watch your words, for they become actions.
watch your actions, for they become habits.
watch your habits, for they become character.
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

i'm still working on my destiny,
still journeying...
picking up and discarding words along the way.