Idealism

When I was a teenager, I was intensely idealistic; I thought I would change the world. I wanted to do something important where I could make this happen, and teaching became my profession of choice. People always said, when you get older you will lose some of that "youthful idealism." During my middle years, I did lose some of it. I understood the demands of the teaching profession and also understood the challenges of the terrible bureaucracy. I also got "busy" with my life-my family, mostly my children, and work became the means to help pay the bills, nothing more. And I wrote; I always wrote. I wrote mostly about myself.

Now, as I get older, I find that my idealism has returned, only it is much stronger now. I recognize I am one of the "haves" and there are way too many "have nots." How did this terrible disparity grow bigger, stronger? I have become a very committed teacher, one whom understands if I can change the life of one or two students, I have helped-in some way-to shape the world. And I can not stand the ugly politics of today; I want someone to lead our country who  is decent, humane, has integrity. And I never stopped writing, but when I do it is about IMPORTANT issues: peace in the Middle East and the world; social injustices; the terrible caste system in this country and the world. I pay much more attention to the news, and I write found poems which address the inequalities, the unfairness. I have become the citizen of the world I always admired.

Could I do more? Of course; I thought, perhaps, I should be more involved in this year's election, 2016, but time always becomes an issue, so I place my small marker in the universe, hoping I can fill it-even with my books-with good deeds.