Sophie

I sat by Sophie today

My fountain of wisdom

Little kids came by

With big people who've forgotten to live

I sat as always

Up close with my feet up

I remembered a man's words

"Why do we have to sit right on top of it?"

Because that's how it should be...

I had thought, because it's fun!

I remembered another man I once loved

A man who lied

A man who broke my heart 

Again and again

And I smiled

He had sat with me here

And I tried to hold his hand for a photograph

But he pulled away

That's when I knew it...

I was not loved back

When you love you are open

When you love you want closeness

When you are brave you are open

When you have courage you speak your truth

In lies there is no love

Only the true have courage to love

The rest just want

To feel good

Love is so much more

Than just feeling good

Love will open you up

If you will let it

It will tear you up

And break you down

Because only then

Can you truly live!

I smiled and watched the kids

Who seemed to gravitate to me

I guess it was because while their grown ups sat a safe distance apart

I sat up close with my feet up

Kids know love

Kids know life

And then we raise them

And thus we ruin them...

I looked at the kids

And they played with me

I fished coins out for them

On my knees elbow deep in my fountain 

It was glorious fun

While the kids played with me

Their grown ups sat, relieved...

Far away

Their faces buried in their phones

Relieved to get away 

They missed seeing it all

Too busy to love

Too busy to live

They missed the flower 

The little boy gave me

They missed his face light up as I stuck it in my hair...

They missed the little girl ask if she should collect the money or throw it back in?

I asked what would make her happy?

They missed hearing what makes her happy...

They missed it all

When I got up to go

They grabbed my hands 

And had a fuss 

I fished my last coins for them

I'm too old to do that 

A dad replied

When the little girl asked him to reach a coin

Yes I thought

We ruin them

We raise them to be old

And we ruin these beautiful free creatures

We make them old

And then they no longer play 

In water fountains anymore

I wish more grown ups 

Were kids some days...