Perception

Discovering more and more what is meant for others.

We never know

If what we hear

Is meant for us

Or perhaps

For someone else.

This is distinct

From giving advice.

This is different

From naming the mote

In our neighbor’s eye.

This has nothing to do

With defining the thunderclap

As a sign of God’s wrath

Against someone else.

We never quite know

If the purple columbine we see

Is meant for us

Or perhaps

To be shared

And then shared again.

One fact

I grew up privileged.  I live... privileged.  I know this.  Still... I get stuck on trying to convince someone of that One Fact I Know is Right... I do this sometimes.  OK, maybe I do this Too Often. I do this and perhaps I convince someone of something, or perhaps they stop listening, or name me something that cannot be written in this space.  In fact, I did it this morning on a listserve... trying to convince someone of a Very Important Fact... which I shall not name here... because, even though she is not a judge, and I have custody of my children, and I am privileged... there are other things which call for my time.  This is called... letting go.  It seems a lifelong lesson I need to learn.

I know someone

Not so very long ago

Who lost custody

Even visitation

Of her daughter

In part

Because she tried to convince a judge

He was wrong.

She was right.

The judge was wrong.

She chose one fact,

Worried it to death

Like a dog

With a bone,

Like our cat

Fixated on the feather toy

He cannot forget,

Even though we put the toy away

In the closet

Months ago.

She chose one fact,

Worried it to death.

Her daughter turned 18

This year.

I imagine the two of them

Together now

Making up for three years

Of lost time.