by Sheila Towle

suffering alone,
fearing the worst,

doubting, judging, resisting what is,
seeking, demanding control of the uncontrollable

stay present, stay present, stay here now,
don’t go wandering off into the land of “if only”

despair, despondency, duty, depression is calling our name.
this too shall pass,

loneliness longing for what never was,
never was, without loneliness and longing,
old friends, close to wearing out their welcome

but hey, tomorrow’s another day
the best is yet to come to come
or, this is the best, yet what’s to come?

uncertain, unseen, unlike anything we’ve known

roller coaster emotions,
up, down, around and back
spiral staircase to here and back,
quilting,
walking by the river, houses, new growth, old city streets

missing the touch of our separated selves, our friends, our loved ones, more ourselves than ourselves

some working, some not,
some holding babies,
not watching the news,
loosing their voice in the silence of reflection

be present,
no end in sight,

let hindsight
show us the deep light of meaning,
beckoning us to an unknown future
on this beautiful earth, moving from slogan to action

We’re all in this together, as we’ve always been… in this, together.

©2020 Sheila Towle