Inside Out
Does your inside match your outside?
Does your outside match your in?
Do the kind deeds you envision
stay confined within your skin?
Your thoughts and your life’s actions –
are they close…or far apart?
Is the way in which you live your life
what you believe deep in your heart?
Are you the same person on the inside
people meet on the out,
or do the two clash and differ
leaving your conscience full of doubt?
Do you change to fit each circumstance
like a chameleon changes hues,
or honestly communicate
your true beliefs and views?
Do you turn your back on your ideals
when it seems they’re not in vogue
and follow the path of least resistance
instead of boldly going rogue?
Have you learned from all the lessons
life has taught you as you’ve grown?
Do you respect the person you are with
when you are all alone?
Do you praise yourself for goodwill
that is only in your head?
Can you replace “do as I say, not as I do”
with “do as I do,” instead?
Are you a different person
than the person people see?
Are you a different person
than the one you’d like to be?
In you, can others place their trust
and never be deceived
and see you as you really are,
not how you wish to be perceived?
Would they not see a difference,
or would they grieve in sorrow,
if your inside today
became your outside tomorrow?
Inside Out
copyright 2010 Linda Ellis
Linda Ellis
www.lindaellis.net
Linda, I love this one! Fabulous and so true. If more of us would make sure the book cover matched the book, the table of contents and the actual contents matched we would have less problems in life. Daring to be different and special, walking our walk and talking our talk we would all be better for it! Awesome poem-could bey mantra right now as this is where I am at! Can’t wait for your book!
Thank you, Linda…
what a lovely way with words you have!
I love your work…and appreciate your sharing it with the world <3
I’d like to say that this is the most honest, true, and amazing poem I think I’ve ever read in my life. As soon as I read it it instantly became my favorite because having reading it I realized that everything being said is true! If you can’t turn yourself inside out without being the same then obviously, you’re doing something terribly wrong. So, all in all, this poem is absolutely fantastic.
It is true. We must maintain both inside and outside meet each other. Duel nature is dangerous. One day or the other it appears. We cannot hide our secret things forever. For our own good, it is better to be honest. To have unity in thought and deeds, we need practice. We need to have God’s grace on our side in this.
Dear Linda,I live in Canada and my sister in the UK introduced me to your work yesterday. I thank you so much for your beautiful inspiring poems,they are so thought provoking and so in keeping with my
own beliefs.I look forward to reading many more.
peace and love,
Christine Godley.
Love your work. This will make us really stop and think about who we are, how others see us. . . and how we perceive themselves. Wonderful! Thank you!
Rightly said by Ben & Kate, “Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it. We determine whether something will be a blessing or a curse by the way we choose to see it.”
I know it won’t need any words for wishing or motivating to any such act, it’s an inner voice, something which brings happiness within and spreading around – a beautiful soul full of love and wonders, transforming it for making the world most beautiful. Love You.
All is Well. It is true that – A little voice inside us will guide us…if we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do.
Greetings,
Shrikrishna
Hi Linda
thank you Sooooooooooo much for sharing this wonderful poem. And you are right…………it IS all about “Walking the Talk” a topic near and dear to my heart.
You continue to inspire and challenge us all to be the best we can be!
Eric
Linda,
Inside Out is but yet another one of your great works! I truly enjoyed each and every word. Please continue with your great inspirational awareness!
Suzi
Suzi — This poem is indeed my favorite…if I say so myself! LOL! Thank you for your kind comments!
I will go out on a limb
and predict this will be another of your “Classic” popular works. It expresses a lofty goal for all, but one many don’t consider, or think they’ve mastered. To like who we see in the mirror, is a gift we can give ourselves. Priceless virtue.
It looks like it would be a very inspirational website. However I cannot read the white on black. Please change this so people can read it. Thank you!
You are amazing, Linda. That is an amazing, clever, go-to-the-heart-of-the-matter poem. I like it, and I think it is one of your best.