What I Know to be True

As I wrote the following poem, it occurred to me that it may come across that I am only interested and concerned about what is within my view. That is simply not the case. I am as interested and concerned as everyone else.

Living in the country, while amazing, does not shelter me from what goes on in nearby cities.

For anyone reading this that may not know, Mike is a captain for the City of St. Louis Fire Department. What happens in the city very much affects him, therefore, affects me.

The last two years have been hard on all of us; it has been especially hard for fire fighters and their families.

People do not often realize that firefighters in many jurisdictions, including the city of St. Louis, are on the scene for nearly all medical runs - From difficulty breathing, chest pains, seizures, lacerations, cardiac arrests, suicide attempts, shootings, drug over doses and covid complications. It has been a very busy and stressful two years for fire fighters.

While my life my seem picturesque and unaffected; well, picturesque yes, unaffected, no.

So... with everything going on, with all the "information" and "disinformation" and who gets to decide which is which. Will all the division, the hurting and confusion; I have found myself drawn to what I know to be true.

WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE

In a time of such uncertainty

Questions and fear

I look to what I know to be true

And I hold those truths dear

Hawks will scream

Eagles will nest

The moon will rise

As I lay my head to rest

For it is true that the cattle

Will chew their cud

As true as it is that the dry dirt

With rain will to mud

On Bright days

Dogs will bask in the sun

As true as frightened

Deer will run

The roosters will crow

At the break of day

The horses will bed down

In the scattered hay

The trees will certainly

Loose their leaves

Revealing sunsets

Beyond belief

From the tops of the trees

The crow will caw

Bringing some mystery and magic

To it all

The sun will set

And then it will rise

Showing the truth

To my mind and eyes

These are the things

I know to be true

The very things I see

Within my view

The last picture in the poem, the sunrise was this morning. It was watching the sky fill with these colors that reminded me once again, that in nature is where I feel okay. It is where I find truth.