Notebook

Life isn’t easy for anyone. We all take our turns with illness, the loss of loved ones, defeat, regret, and failure. If we are lucky, we have friends and family to help us through, and to keep us going until things get better. And usually things do get better; and when they do, we often find ourselves stronger for the experience, even wiser. In fact, it could be argued that an easy life is a life without challenge, and therefore boring. Without something to butt our heads against, we humans often grow complacent. When everything is going our way, financially and otherwise, we tend to ask less of ourselves than we would under leaner and meaner circumstances. Rather than seeking out new challenges, we wait until something happens that forces us into action. The question is, how different would our lives be if we didn’t wait?

The man
in the doorway
sits on cold brick
shivers in matted
brown corduroy
counts gum wrappers
and wet leaves
stirs pigeon droppings
with muddy heels
asks questions
without answers
answers questions
unasked while
busy people
pass by
on their way
to shop.