For those of you who know who R.M. Drake is, your life has been blessed 10 times over. But, for those of you who don’t, I highly suggest you start googling him, after you read this, of course.

Okay, okay, I know what you are thinking -- “so who is R.M. Drake?” Well, R.M. Drake is not only an incredible writer and poet, but he also has a pretty unbelievable story. You see, he was originally working as an art director for a television company, when he started posting some of his pieces on social media. His poetry took off and started to go viral. He has over 1 million followers including some major celebrities. He had no intention of anything coming of his work being posted, but truthfully, I’m unbelievably happy that it did, because if he hadn’t of posted any of his pieces, my life would be a lot more dull and a lot less wonderful. His work has led him to a global distribution deal, letting him quit his job, and start writing for a living. He is now taking over Amazon on the best-seller list with his poetry books.

A day without R.M. Drake’s writing is like a day without sunshine. His poetry brings light to my days and I can promise you, your days will get so much better and brighter too. Here are some of my favorite pieces of his:

1. There are people who have been ignored and kicked around a few times, the ones the crowd will tell you to stay away from. Seek those people out, and find them; they are the ones who will change the world.

2. She was fierce, she was strong, she wasn’t simple. She was crazy and sometimes she barely slept. She always had something to say. She had flaws and that was OK. And when she was down, she got right back up. She was a beast in her own way, but one idea described her best. She was unstoppable and she took anything she wanted with a smile.

3. Because the end of the world happens at least once every hour since you’ve been gone. Because all the things I’ve told you I’ve really meant. Because without you there is no me. Because it hurts but I’m still breathing. Because they say “letting go” will “help me” but all I could do is think about you. Because I still love you and you are not here.

4. And I loved her, all of her, for how I watch her crawl beneath my skin and into my soul. And I loved her, all of her, for how she would glide over my dark trails of roses left to grow. And I loved her, all of her, for how she devoured me whole and made sense of all my bones. But most of all, I loved her, all of her, for healing my pieces and guiding them all back home.

5. She had such a beautiful mind. The kind of mind that sparked my dreams. The kind of mind that lead my inspiration, and it was the kind of inspiration that only the young at heart could imagine.

6. This is the last thing I want to tell you. I want you to put yourself first, no matter who you fall in love with. I want you to love yourself like it’s the only thing left to do. And lastly, I want you to find someone that will help you realize how important the first two things are. Your life should consist of making yourself happy before giving your laughter away to someone else.

7. You don’t destroy people you care about. That’s not how it works, that should never be an option. Choose laughter. Choose peace. Choose love.
Remember this and remember well. It is, after all, a lonely world. A world where two people can share the same heart, but there will always be something missing. The saddest of the sad is, how eventually, we as humans outgrow the things we love, and all we could do is remember how they once made us feel.

8. I want to see you grow. I want to see you for who you are. I want ten years to pass, so you could come back and tell me how much you’ve learned. I want to see you inspired and touched by the flames inside you. I want to see you do all the things we both know you’re capable of… But I can’t help you if you can’t help yourself, because I believe in all the things that move inside you. So give yourself a chance and I will be here just in case you ever fall.

9. And all she wants to hear is the love you have for her.

10. You lost her and it wasn’t because she was hard to hold, or love, or touch but because she was made of your absence, of all the things you ignored and all the beautiful poetry you read but failed to understand.

11. And I, too, understand what it’s like to have a heart made of firewood. I burn for the things I desire, and like you, all I really want is for someone to fill my heart with adventure.

12. You seemed fine the last time we spoke. You seemed better, as if somewhere in this endless dark space you found a map, and it led you out of this world. I hope you find what you’re looking for. I hope you come back soon.

13. Because fate has a funny way of mending things back together. I mean, you’re here and I’m here, and we’ll find each other again… that is, if that’s the way it’s supposed to be. So if you believe and I believe, then someway, somehow, we’ll find each other again…just don’t forget me and I’ll promise to always have you close to my heart.

14. The world needs more laughter, more love, and a little more of you.
It would be good to see you again, but something inside of me keeps telling me to protect my fucking heart. So I won’t do it. You have no soul, you’re no good for me, I’m sorry. And it’s moments like these that matter the most. Moments when you put yourself above the mountains with the gods. Moments when you realize how good you are, and how some people don’t deserve your goodness. Save these realizations for the choices that matter. They will make the difference between life and death.

15. You don’t have to sink to the bottom of the ocean and watch the world as you fall. You don’t have to isolate yourself because you’re hurt. People who love you will always be waiting near the shore and every once in a while it’s okay to come to the surface to breathe. We all need air to grow, we all need an ocean to let go, but it’s people who will save you, always remember that.
It was the way you laughed, I knew I wanted that in my life.

16. I have let too many nights pass without telling you how your love is so beautiful and full. And how it blooms in the darkness and how it is the only thing I can see; distantly burning like a candle on the edge of the world.
You’re not a bad person. You’re just a little bit different, and I’m a sucker for that.

17. I just hope while you’re out there you don’t loose yourself completely. I hope you return as the person I once knew. You’re so goddamn beautiful, and I’ve been waiting for you to come back. So please don’t be late.

18. And there were always those nights where she preferred the rain over people. Because the rain would remind her of how she should feel and people would remind her of the things she always wanted to forget.

19. Maybe one day we’ll find that place, where you and I could be together. And we ‘ll catch our dreams within the waves of change. So hear me, you are not alone.

20. And the sky smiled right back at you… like it knew a little more about you each night.

21. It must be madness, the way we let things devour us. The way we let the things we want out, back in. And the horror o it all is, we stay attracted to everything that hurts. We cling to it and never really learn to let go. So perhaps we don want happiness but we also desire to keep the pain close. Close enough to destroy us, close enough to define us and close enough to make us feel a little less cold.