Poem #2--Did You Run

Did You Run?

As you stand by the finish line,

Gazing back at how far you’ve come,

Take a long look far back in time

And answer me: did you run?

When you look back over your shoulder

To the things that you have done

As the world and you grew older

You will see if you did run.

Did you leave your friends behind you?

Did you take the time to have fun?

When happiness, love, and joy rose anew,

Did you leave them there and run?

When others needed you, were you there?

Did you see more dark, or more sun?

Were you like a leaf, when, without a care,

You left your family to run?

Did you notice all the scenery?

The gleaming webs the spiders have spun?

Or did you ignore the greenery,

And simply run, run, run?

So, as you stand by the finish line,

Gazing back at how far you’ve come,

Take a long look far back in time

And answer me: did you run?

-Karl Southwick-

 

 Oftentimes, we find ourselves rushing through life, not stopping to take the time to appreciate all of the beauties and happiness that have been prepared for us, left along our paths. When it comes to this, and we begin to ignore all that we are supposed to respect, just because we are in a hurry to finish everything, it is important to remember to slow down, take a breath of fresh air, and to experience life, not just run through it.