He was there in the beginning, they say

He's always been there, will always be there

 

Those who have met him

Often seem to cling on

Afraid to let go

Scared of what they’ll see

 

Once a stranger, he slowly becomes a trusted friend

A counselor, a comfort

A necessary companion

A means of justification

 

I met him when I was ten

In my house, around the dinner table

I was confused, I didn't recognize him

But I said hello as he took a seat beside me

 

We became acquaintances, then friends

I drove around life with him next to me

Eventually, he slipped into the driver's seat of my mind

Subconsciously steering my actions and views

 

As I matured I began to see,

how he made other people act,

Bringing out the worst, hidden parts of humans

I realized then, he wasn’t a very good friend

 

I knew what I had to do

One day, I let him go,

It was hard to break our friendship at first

my family still held onto him

 

But, slowly, gradually, He and I lost touch

I took back control of the wheel

I drove away from him, and into freedom

My once clouded world began to clear

 

On my own now, I looked around

And realized that he is everywhere

In the most powerful places

Close friends with leaders and authorities

 

In playgrounds

Lunchrooms

Universities

Workplaces

 

He was there in the beginning they say,

He was always there, will always be there.

 

Explain to me then, how the smallest of us do know him

children, who cannot experience him

innocent persons who don’t speak his language

He is not there with them, is he?

 

No, he must be introduced

Handed down discreetly

Father to son

Mother to daughter

 

He was there in the beginning they say,

But is that true?

Do we not invite him in,

Allow him to stay?

 

He will ways be there, they say

This might be true, but

just because he’s there,

Doesn’t mean we must befriend him.

 

In a world of those who hold his hand

we must learn to let go

to come to the aid of those he targets

To begin to live and grow.