to have, and to hold ...

it's not that i have principles that i won't ever stray from ...
it's that i just care ...
i am willing to to put myself out there, to put my ass on the line when there is a threat to justice ... to what i perceive as justice ...
there is a phrase, a cliche ... i'm not big on cliches, but you know, building character ...
when one goes through a sacrificial act for what they perceive are the right reasons, maybe good reasons, maybe just reasons ... the person comes out the other side ... a bit different ...
to hold onto something when it hurts ...
to hold onto something when the holding on is causing pain ...
to hold onto something when the holding on is hurting others ...
to hold onto something when it kills your career ... wrecks your marriage ... flunks you out of school ...
to hold onto something because whenever that thing that was trying to get you to let go is gone, you still have a hold on something ... and then you can let it go ... but it will never leave you ... it stays with you forever ... and the different you, is you.