Remember that time when you
Tried to start that thing that drove
You crazy and made you doubt
Who you really are and caused
You to flee into a situation where
You had even less control and
Wished you could return to the
Time when you simply were
Fearful of what you didn’t know?
When the conversation
Predictably becomes
One-sided, he decides
That this is the last
Time he’ll endure it and
That it is necessary
To interrupt this
Exhausting cycle.
All these years
Thinking things were
A certain way,
Only to find that
He was completely mistaken.
Novel insights
Brought about by years of
Self-examination,
Concerted shift in
Thinking over time.
Swirling feelings of
Loss and anger,
Relief and hope,
New opportunities unhampered
By obsolete patterns.
How easily he forgets
That success is very often
Not the result of pluck,
Or toil, or self-determination.
Talking to a group of colleagues
In an opulent board room,
The grind of the outside world
Doesn’t show its gnarled face.
Smug in their affluence,
Brash movers and shakers,
Out on the streets but
For the whim of fortune.
Eventually pulling back,
Putting some distance
Between him and the chaos,
Disorienting cacophony of
Scattered turmoil,
Confused muttering,
Rash reactions to undefined
Challenges, seeing the
Spectacle for what it is,
The disorder of wounds
Unhealed, dictating reaction,
A whirl of activity
Leading nowhere but distress,
Arriving at different points
For disparate reasons.
Accolades don’t matter,
Winning isn’t important,
The university you attend or
What you own is
Completely meaningless,
Hollow constructs
Devised and promoted by
Scared, empty people.
The only thing that
Will every help you
Find bliss in life
Is to look within,
Do what you love,
Do your best, and
Love yourself and others.
Eyes slowly, calmly fluttering open,
Deep breaths of still, clean
Morning air on the veranda,
A thoughtfully prepared cup of coffee.
Contentedly enjoying the greenery
In a soft inviting chair.
A restorative peaceful moment,
The comforting warmth of
Everything going well.
Then, sudden, absolute, total
Nothingness.
There’s a small restaurant I
Particularly enjoy. Carefully prepared,
Hearty fare, deeply satisfying and
Unstuffy. Interesting people talking
Animatedly about the latest goings on.
Smiling faces, delightful company.
Time passes with casual unhurriedness.
You walk in.
The winter birds arrive
After their long journey,
Enjoying a well-deserved rest,
Having a snack,
Taking a tour of the garden to
Remember its contours.
Happy to see them,
We’re reminded of time.
