Don't Judge Me

Don't judge me. You don't want to go to the places I've been, or see the things I have seen. My life isn't an open book because no one should know the things I've learned. This journey through life has gathered many burdens and the load gets so heavy, at times parts of it must be unloaded. I grieve for the ones who carelessly tossed those burdens to me and I grieve for the ones to whom I unthinkingly toss those burdens. Why do those burdens even exist? Who invented them and dumped them on humans? Questions that shall forever be unanswered. Walt Kelly who drew the cartoon strip "Pogo" wrote,  "We have met the enemy and he is us."

If I could fix this mess we call "life as we know it," I would. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make all the sorrows go away. I wish I could smile on people and make them love other people. I wish I could make everyone empowered and happy. I wish I could make everyone have everything they ever wanted without it bringing them more problems.

Alas, it is not to be. We all muddle through, cursing the worst and loving the best. When we are gone from this plane, it will continue as before--the pushing and shoving; the quest to be--me first. 
--Musings from R.J.

"Anguish"  a drawing by Bruce Sommer is the lament of a soldier who served 22 months in Vietnam. The original was donated by his widow to the sister of another Vietnam Vet who committed suicide. She donated it to the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago. It has a fascinating story.