It doesn't interest me what you do for a living;
I want to know what you ache for.
It doesn't interest me how old you are;
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of life.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still shout at the edges of a lake, river, or mountain, "Yes, I am a warrior poet."
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have;
I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for someone you love.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and truly like the company you keep, in the empty moments of your life, and still remember me.
LIve...more than your neighbors.
Unleash yourself upon the world and go places
Go now....giggle...no....laugh
And bark at the moon like the wild dog that you are
Understand that this is not a dress rehearsal.....this is it......your life
Face your fears and live your dreams
Take it all in....yes....every chance you get......come close
And by all means...whatever you do.....get in on film.

Your Friend,
Blazeman,
The ALS Warrior Poet
---written by Jon Blais, 34-year-old survivor with Lou Gehrig's Disease, just prior to competing in - and finishing - 2005 Ironman Hawaii