Rip Van Winkle
Rip van Winkle sat up straight
A hundred years – he’d slept in late.
The world he saw was all quite new
So very quaint his point of view.When we take hits and pull back in
We find our lives resemble him.
The world goes on when we’re not there
Most then view us with little care.When we get sick, or absence take,
It’s like we sleep while they’re awake
They act and speak – great strides they make
But we grow too – we meditate.The outward journey looks quite smart
So threatens us as we must start
Back at the first like little kids
Till skill grows strong and strangeness rids.Such outward skills deceptive are
They’re sooner gained for us by far
Than inner growth by struggle wrought
Through countless battles we have fought.Such inner gains don’t show at first
When all that’s seen – our clumsy worst
But as the time goes on for all
We’re soon confronted by some wall.The folks who on the surface made
Great gains – in triumph won the day
Quite often don’t know what to do
That’s when you see it’s up to you.“How can you venture forth?” the ask
“For we’ve not grown up to this task.”
You smile and say “Just follow me
I’ve been here, deep inside, you see.There’s more to Rip than meets the eye
He was away, but did not die
The surface things indeed do change
But deeper still the best remains.So I go forth , in this new world
And as, like Rip, I sense the swirl
Of things that on the surface seem
So strange to me, and what they mean,The only way I hold my course
And keep right on with our remorse
Is knowing that there’s change within
That down the road will make me grin.navigation