THE LONG VIEW

As most people eighteen and over know, there is a future and they will be in it.

The big question is where?

At least it should be a big question unless you come from ‘down in the valley where mister when you’re young, they bring you up do to like your daddy done.’

Those guys never had to figure things out too much, like where will they be five years from now, and five years after that.

As most people twenty-eight and over know, doing anything takes longer than they planned for.

If not it’s a miracle, without the walking on water part.

By twenty-eight you’ve had a long term relationship, dodged a bullet or two, and had a job that lasted more than a summer.

Probably some college so you can say you gave it a try, probably moved once or twice.

By twenty-eight you realize life would be more fun with someone to share it with.

So you do. And they like show tunes. It was cute. At first.

 

The sun’ll come out, tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar, that tomorrow
There’ll be sun!

Just thinking about, tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow
‘Til there’s none!

When I’m stuck in a day
That’s gray and lonely
I just stick out my chin
And grin and say

The sun’ll come out, tomorrow
So you gotta hang on ’til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow
You’re always a day away

Momma Said There’d Be Days Like This 

By thirty-eight you’ve been stuck in a day that’s gray and lonely.

Or, you know people who’ve been stuck if not you.

They’re stuck wondering why no one told them what they needed to know earlier.

They’re wondering who to blame.

By thirty-eight they know it’s not fair to blame anyone, but still.

So, in their mature years, they blame themselves and drag those who know them into a familiar spiral of doubt, uncertainty, and they stall out.

No where to run, no where to hide, and the best move is pretending everything is fine?

Yes, it is.

Fine, or not so fine, stop thinking you’re pretending to live a fine life instead of your life.

Thirty more years down the line you’ll still be pretending everything is fine, then one day you wake up a bitter husk of a human all eaten up with the effort of pretense.

You don’t want that and no one you know wants to see it.

Be yourself even it means speaking well of others when you know them to be jerks.

Be yourself, the person who knows right from wrong without judging.

Be the you who makes a difference when it matters most if you feel like you don’t matter the rest of the time.

The long view says you matter, says you’re special.

When’s the last time someone pretended you were special? They probably weren’t pretending.

If I know you, and you know I know, then rest assured, you are special.

 

Daddy Says It Too

You’re 18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68, 78, 88?

Yes you are, and where you land means the same thing: Force yourself to be better each time you could be worse.

Someone earns your ire? Let that one slide if you haven’t done that in a while. Even if you have.

As long as it’s either someone new, or a new ire.

Known ire doesn’t get off the hook that easy. Fight ire with ire, right?

Where ever you land on the age range, the older you are the more you value reading.

Reading and quick understanding made a difference in your life, but telling it to younger people makes you feel older than you think you are.

PS:

So tell people your age along with spreading the good reading news as often as you can.

 

PSS:

For the long view, read.

Thank you for reading this far. Look, more engaging posts at your fingertips. See you there.