I Am My Own

I am a Quaker,

not a worshiper of the guy on the oatmeal box.

and we do eat things other than oats and grains.

I am a Quaker.

Supportive of peace,

but not against a little rough housing

with friends and siblings.

Lover of nature,

but I drive a car and don’t constantly hug trees,

though I have before.

Believer and fighter for social justice,

But I sometimes have reserves for some people.

I am a Quaker,

but not a shaker.

I find extremes to be intense and overwhelming.

maybe even blinding.

I am a Quaker,

believing in balance

as one of the most important aspects of life.

We need not only hug and kiss,

nor shoot and stab to solve or problems,

or we will bottle up our anger, or always be bitter.

We need not force our environmental ways,

because then we will annoy others 

and guide them away from natures conservancy

But we should compromise

I condemn discrimination,

but I recognize if you ignore

all differences in color, sex, age

no one would be unique.

I am a Quaker,

because I find extremes exhausting.