What Grace Means to Me

Mira Sulaiman · Post by **Mira Sulaiman** » 31 May 2025, 01:23

This was really beautiful and I really enjoyed reading it! its really creative and makes one think about life after reading it, thanks for sharing this with us!

Gemma Brown 2 · Post by **Gemma Brown 2** » 31 May 2025, 02:31

Very well thought out and written.

LAWRENCE MICHAEL ARABIA · Post by **LAWRENCE MICHAEL ARABIA** » 31 May 2025, 14:18

by LawrenceMichael » 01 June 2025, 02:01 am

My Second Reflection on What Grace Means to Me
by Scott Hughes

Note: I first submitted this reflection last week, but I’m guessing it wasn’t registered. Please let me know if any corrections are needed.

This is my second time writing about What Grace Means to Me—and if anything, I’m even more moved now than before. Some poems stay with you because they’re clever or beautiful. But this one? It lingers because it feels deeply true.

Reading it again, I noticed how each line quietly stretches beyond the page—seeping into real life, real struggle, real peace. Scott Hughes’s definition of grace is unlike anything I’ve encountered: strong without being harsh, soft without being weak. It reminded me that it’s possible to be both fierce and kind, gentle and powerful, all at once.

I particularly appreciate how the poem didn’t just offer comfort, but also issued a gentle challenge—to live more intentionally, to feel more deeply, to pause and reflect before we react. It’s rare to find writing that balances solace with motivation so seamlessly.

Thank you, Scott Hughes, for giving voice to something many of us feel but haven’t known how to express. This poem is more than a piece of literature—it’s a companion. A reminder. A quiet light in moments of uncertainty.

Having read it twice now, I can honestly say the second time felt even more tender, more urgent. The light it cast on my own struggles was warmer and clearer.

I’m grateful for the chance to share this again. If there are any mistakes here—grammatical or otherwise—please let me know. Thank you for taking the time to register my entry.

Lawrence Michael

Avinash Parashar · Post by **Avinash Parashar** » 01 Jun 2025, 06:41

This was really a masterpiece.
The words of this poem touch the heart as well.
The blank verse style shows the effect of new generation poetry.

Alexander Christopher · Post by **Alexander Christopher** » 01 Jun 2025, 07:21

a very wonderful piece

Kimberly Gale · Post by **Kimberly Gale** » 01 Jun 2025, 12:29

This was well written and very thought provoking. I feel like these items were not only a poem but a list of things that we should all be aware and strive for in life. Yin and yang was my first thought. Good and bad. Very real!!!

Kolade K LAGUIDE · Post by **Kolade K LAGUIDE** » 02 Jun 2025, 02:22

I love it

Tatenda Godobo · Post by **Tatenda Godobo** » 02 Jun 2025, 03:58

Inspiring

VARUNH · Post by **VARUNH** » 02 Jun 2025, 23:50

It appears to be a reflective piece, possibly a poem or a series of insightful statements, exploring a personal definition of grace and the line are quite the poetic.

Monika Verma · Post by **Monika Verma** » Yesterday, 04:17

I liked it's all about what you should be or should not , that thin line between the two is beautifully defined

Bridget Mukusa · Post by **Bridget Mukusa** » Yesterday, 15:23

Scott Hughes' poem What Grace Means to Me is a meditative and philosophical reflection on the nuanced virtues that define a life lived with depth, integrity, and, above all, grace. This poem shows the clarity and precision where the line are short to the point. The poem avoids abstraction by clearly defining what grace is not, helping readers recognize its shape through contrast.
The poem expresses emotional maturity whereby the poem resonates with emotional intelligence. Phrases such as “to love and forgive unconditionally, but only trust intelligently” and “to forcefully defend your own as needed, but not offensively attack others” show a deep understanding of healthy boundaries and maturity.
The poem also expresses Spiritual Undertones. There is a gentle spiritual current running beneath the surface—grace here is not just a social virtue, but a way of being that transcends ego, materialism, and fear.
The poem reads almost like a guide for living with dignity and awareness in a complicated world. It doesn't preach perfection; instead, it embraces human limits and advocates for conscious choice.

The poem however has areas which should be improved.A few lines cover similar emotional or philosophical territory. For example, “to be content, but not dead” and “to be alive, but not discontent” are inversions of one another and may feel redundant to some readers.
The poem lacks imagery: The poem is intellectual and conceptual, but lacks vivid imagery or metaphor. This makes it feel more like a manifesto poem than a sensory, poetic experience.
What Grace Means to Me is a thoughtful, earnest, and well-crafted meditation on how to live well without falling into extremes. It’s less a poem for the sake of beauty and more a philosophy for personal evolution. Its appeal lies in its clarity and truthfulness.Hughes doesn’t pretend grace is easy, but he does show that it’s possible, and within reach for anyone who chooses it deliberately.
I really love the poem.