Thoughts: Growing Up

Look, child, look....

Open your eyes and see the world

Of laughter, music, lights

(Fights?)

And oh,

So

Many chances!

(Romances?

Not for now.)

Anyhow,

Just focus on the light.

Bright!

It’s too bright!

It hurts my eyes!

That's no surprise,

But

Wise men

Know

You need that

Glow

To move along.

Wrong!

I want to

Dream.

It may seem

That way,

But you need to wake.

Take

That gleam

Of light, and use it

As your guide.

Hide!

I’d rather hide....

Stay inside

Myself,

In this safe place

Where I’m just me.

But see,

Child,

The light helps you grow.

Oh.

I'll take the chance.

What must I do?

Just follow through.

Keep both eyes open;

Move out, move on.

With darkness

Gone,

You’ll forge a path

To move along.

(Wrong!

What if you’re wrong?)

The light is getting brighter

Now,

So

How

Can it have so harsh a glare?

Must I

Beware

Of too much light?

You’re right,

And now you

See

The way it has to

Be

As you mature.

Sure:

Too much light

Can blind,

But that’s the artificial kind,

Created by confused

Humanity.

I see.

So where does that

Leave me?

Stagnant water runs shallow.

Dear child, how very young you are.

You jog in place

For now,

But life's a

Race and

You have far, so far

To go

Before you’ll ever really

Know

Just what to means to run.

Sunshine can be lost in the clouds.

Shrouds

Of hopselessness enfold you?

Not.

Oh child, laugh now

While you still have

A lot

To laugh about.

Shout

For joy.

Make life

Your toy....

But don’t wind it too far.

Star light, star bright can lose its glow too soon.

The moon

Is not for you, my child.

Be not

Beguiled

By subtle light,

For even that can injure

Sight.

You have to see to grow.

No

One learns in his sleep.

Keep

Your eyes, child, open

Wide,

For life is such a dangerous

Ride

For a blind man.

Can you see how cleat the muddy water gleams?

Dreams

Can come true, my child,

If you dream with open

Eyes.

A little bird

(That’s what you

Are)

Who flies

With paper wings

Won’t go

Far.

Star light, star bright.... yet, some can’t see.

Just “be.”

See

All there is for you to find.

Look straight ahead. (Behind’s

Behind

And past.

Don’t walk

Too fast.

And don’t drown

In a shallow lake.

Take your time, but please start now.

Today.

The right

Way....

As I’ve said:

Ahead.

Fly away,

Little bird,

For it’s time to move on.

You could stay,

Little bird,

But grow up and be gone.

Your summer is done,

And the winter

Comes soon....

Fly into the sun....

Quick!

Don’t wait for the moon.

Please be smart,

Little bird,

Spread your wings; shed no tear.

Don’t be sad,

Little bird,

It’s that time of the year....

Regret not the sweet taste of honey

You’ve had.

Soon it will turn sunny,

So sing and be glad!

Oh, dear

Little bird,

You’ve flown too near a star.

Listen here,

Little bird,

You must know where you are.

The sky is too lovely; the air is too clear.

Go away,

Little bird,

Do not dare to stay here.

For if you stay much longer,

The sky will trun gray.

Your wings won’t get stronger,

So fly! Fly away!

You love this place now,

But your laughter won’t last....

When snow drifts in, somehow....

Your warm summer? it’s past.

Hurry! Run,

Little bird!

Fly away from the storm.

Summer’s done,

Little bird.

Find a place where it’s warm.

You can always look back,

But you must move ahead.

(Those were very wise words

That my father once said.)