What We Didn’t Know…

I think back to those early days—

we never talked about our lives

so many things we couldn’t say
–wrapped inside our own cocoons

   adulthood still so far away.

Perhaps we were too close to see

that others shared our misery.

Time balances our differences:

we thought that we were all alone

just ‘getting by and getting through;’

yet even those with perfect lives

were only trying to do the same.

You were just like me, who knew?

We carry hurts long past their prime,

   each struggling with self-esteem—

   no one really was to blame.

In all the years that came between

from early youth until today;

we’re more alike than different,

the past no longer holding sway.

And all that anger, all the shame,

the grief we tried to circumvent—

amazing that we made it through.

We’re stronger for those trials faced,

   full-circle now, we understand

   that nothing come before was planned.

And now we get to start again—

    so glad to finally call you “friend”

© Ginny Brannan 2019

Image: Google Images "Students in the '70's" 

Not my classmates, but could've been. We looked no different!