Acceptance

I think of this

as if it were utopia,

and yet it should be fundamental —

basic, unrestrained, whole-heart acceptance

of everyone for being who they are

That we could simply be ourselves together —

nothing to withhold,

nothing to bestow,

no accolades to earn, no shame to shrink from,

no hierarchy of “in”, of “hip”, of “cool”,

No chairs to win, tryouts to fail,

nothing to prevent us from just seeing

in ourselves and in each other,

the wholly uncontested and essential,

the deeply needed for the

part that no one else can play,

the curious, ecstatic, quirky wonder

of each of us —

Yes, that would win the day.

©Wendy Mulhern

August 22, 2015

photo by Edward Mulhern