Rasta Teacher

Some times things are not the way they seem

and yet we are sure they are.

 

As a young man, or not yet a man but a boy,

I sat on the railing of a very high bridge.

my feet dangling

my eyes looking down the gorge.

 

The place I lived in seemed to be the entire world

and at the moment it was not a happy one.

 

The war hadn’t even begun for years to come

yet  inside me it was already there.

 

I thought about leaning forward and letting go.

Letting go of the thoughts that haunted me.

Letting go of my reality painfully pounding me.

And also,

letting go of life.

 

Looking back,

I don’t see why

I just did not take one step.

One step

out of my reality

to see that there is more to things than they seem.

 

Or that even though they are

the way they seem,

one step away,

one small step away,

another reality,

another adventure

is waiting.

 

 

 

I did not let go,

I just sat there

for hours

staring at the black river

making its way forward.

 

 

 

I left

with no money in my pocket

and a broken heart in my chest

to find goodness

in places and strangers I did not know.

 

I also found,

war

pain

hunger

sorrow

and things

I wish I did not see,

but

never

will I stop

flowing forward

from reality to reality

 

For what would life have been worth

had I let go of the railing

not having felt

pure

unselfish kindness

love

friendship

and

tiny moments of inner peace.

 

 

 

 

“If you are not living good,

I beg you, travel wide.

Said I am a living man

I’ve got work to do…”

Bob Marley – Soul Rebel

Mentally or physically, please step out of your reality and into another.

When you feel you can do nothing for yourself, do something for others.

Please do good.

You might find things weren’t the way they seemed.