The Chosen Masquerade

You will never disown me,
Harsh reality disguised as life.
My soul, my being,
will remain entirely mine.
You will never scare me, life,
Never make me turn tail.
Because I try to remember
all this without fail.
To encourage me in times,
And believe everything is fine,
I try to remember this
simple, choosing rhyme.
I choose to laugh.
Instead of sigh.
I choose to smile,
Instead of cry.
I choose to sing,
And not to frown.
I choose wings to fly,
Not shackles to weigh me down.
I choose to dance,
And not to mope.
I will never choose despair.
I choose hope.
I choose love,
And not hate.
I choose to make my choices,
Rather than leave things to fate.
I choose health over wealth,
And will not pick money over mind.
I play the cards I've been dealt.
I choose to be kind.
I choose to whisper my own voice,
Rather than boom someone else's own.
I choose to pardon,
Over grudges I've loaned.
I choose personality,
And will not strive to be the " Perfect 10 ".
I'll accept flaws and faults,
And not change them.
I choose a few real friends,
Instead of a hundred semi-foes.
I choose substance,
Over wallowing on worldly woes.
I choose truth,
Over sugar-coated lies.
I choose to see,
With my own two eyes.
I choose shameless excitement,
Over mandatory poise.
I choose silent contemplation
Over irrational noise.
I choose the desire to live,
Over the wish to die.
I choose to give,
Instead of my,my,my
I choose to fight.
And not to flee.
I choose what's right.
I choose to be.