When We Were Children

Time had passed.

No longer content to feign satiety, we turned away from childish ways and set aside childish things. We banished hope, mocked the liars, and excommunicated the repeaters of untruth. We did not want illusions, self-deception, empty promises, and sweet fairy tales of unreality. We did not desire a drugged stupor of robot smiles and cheerful platitudes, nor prophecies that demanded waiting for the impossible that will never become true.

We have seen and experienced too much to stay silent. We see it cruel to sell fables; brutal to paralyze others with delicious but fraudulent explanations. Not only do these weigh on another's temporal life, but we do not wish to be associated with writing such behavior into eternity.

We left the blind and comfortable multitudes. We found ourselves unable to participate in mendacity. We could not conspire against and curse life. We we unrecruitable for Sisyphean missions.

We saw ourselves outnumbered, outgunned, and surrounded -- yet suffering no threat of defeat because we saw through every illusion in our path, and all that opposed us was but a paper tiger unaware of its feebleness. How could we be untrue to ourselves? We were from birth sworn enemies of the lingering uncrushed infamy.

We turned toward one another, looked deep in each other's eyes and spoke in plain and total honesty. Did we sometimes speak of what is dark and bare? Yes, just as we do not step away from what is beautiful, vivid, tender, and delightful. Our souls are vast and rich continents with turns, mountains, valleys, forests, gardens, graveyards, and unseen multitudes.

We had too much love to hide or wait. We left behind the safety of the numbing bubble and made our way into the wilderness that was still alive.