Darlings of the Status Quo
We were among the young and sexy,
and the happily naive and pretentious.
We were you-can-stop-us-now,
get-out-of-our-way,
and this-is-our-time.
The untouchable certainty of our youth
shined as a gleaming tower on the horizon.
We were the darlings of the status quo.
And then,
it was over.
We married and divorced.
We had children or didn’t.
Our knees gave out.
One gray hair became two.
Some of us turned to the bottle,
while others soldier on undaunted.
A few of us died.
And now,
if we don’t already know better,
we suspect something better.
The tired faces of our parents remind us
of what the mirrors are already saying -
life is short, so don’t cling to the ephemeral.
The greatest gift going forward
is surrendering to the now.
“As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.”
This poem has been adapted and was originally shared on March 7, 2017, as We Were Among the Young and Sexy. The original is included in Tomorrow Could Be Wonderful: Brian's Poem of the Day: 365 Daily Meditations Vol. 1.
©Brian Mueller - All rights reserved.
