Lifelong Lessons

This is a child’s face;
the face of idyllic ignorance.

(In the beginning, this was his face,
years before the arousal of his arrogance.
The arrogance that,
because of his anger at his sullied innocence,
believed that all of life, his life in this world ought be as he desired:
ever kinder,
ever gentler,
ever fruitful,
never, ever again, painful.
The arrogance ever proving to him
that entitlement need not alway be a fruit of wealth,
but can be a misshapen seed of a quest for self-worth.)

Could he have known
then, when so young,
that, sometimes, those who inflict hurt most,
and sometimes (enough times) inadvertently, with absence of intent,
would be those who,
by virtue of parentage and heritage,
were s’pposed to have loved him first and best?

No.

Though learn that lesson, he did.

Could he have known
then, when so young,
that oft (alway?) the scales of the world
and the ways of institutional systems
(whether socio-economic, educational, political, or ecclesial)
were…are imbalanced,
favoring upper classes and men and certain colors (or lack)
and, surely, not beholden to black
(though that his parents,
who came to maturity in America’s early-20th century,
sought to teach him via “The Talk”:
“Son, you must work harder
to be better and smarter,
in order,
merely, to be equal to the world’s privileged”)?

No.

Though learn that lesson, he did.

Could he have known
then, when so young
(as ancient Simeon prophesied to Mary
because of the self-sacrificial life of her son,
she would bear grave suffering:
“A sword will pierce your own soul, too”)
that the trials of others, all others crucified on the crosses
of the world’s injustices
would grieve his bleeding heart
more, far more than his own struggles?

No.

Though live – in striving to serve – that lesson, he does.