event(4.8) after a while

I decided for some reason that I wanted to post a particular poem today, called 'After A While', by Veronica Shoffstall. I had noted slightly different versions of it on the internet, sometimes even being attributed to an unknown author.

I have picked two versions of the poem to post here. I have no idea which version I have come across, if any, is true to the original.

After a While
After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't always mean security.
And you begin to learn
that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is
too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
that even sunshine burns
if you get too much
so you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, you learn...


After A While
After a while you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and sharing a life
and you learn that love doesn't mean possession
and company doesn't mean security
and loneliness is universal.

And you learn that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes open
with the grace of a woman
not the grief of a child.

And you learn to build your hope on today
as the future has a way of falling apart in mid flight.
Because tomorrow's ground can be too uncertain for plans,
yet each step taken in a new direction creates a path
toward the promise of a brighter dawn.

And you learn that even the sunshine burns
if you get too much
so you plant your own garden
and nourish your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that love, true love,
always has joys and sorrows,
seems ever present, yet is never quite the same,
becoming more than love and less than love
so difficult to define.
And you learn that through it all
you really can endure
that you really are strong
that you do have value
and you learn and grow
with every good bye
you learn.