The World Is Mine

Do you ever have days when the blues sit on your shoulder and plague every step, days when you think, “Poor me” or “If only”?  I suppose those gray days come to all of us. Like a swarm of vicious mosquitoes, when one negative thought attacks, they all come calling . Do you know what I mean? Or perhaps you never have days like that.

Yesterday as I was hunting through some of my old published stories and poems, I found a very old poem written by someone else.  I had clipped it out of a newspaper years ago. Or maybe it was Mom who clipped it. Anyway, it spoke to me and made me realize that I am blessed and rich indeed. I believe the title is:

The World Is Mine

Today, upon a bus, I saw a lovely girl with golden hair.

I envied her, she seemed so gay, and wished I were as fair,

When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle.

She had one leg and wore a crutch and as she passed, a smile.

O God, forgive me when I whine.

I have two legs. The world is mine.

And then I stopped to buy some sweets. The lad who sold them had such charm.

I talked with him, he seemed so glad, if I were last ‘twould do no harm.

And as I left he said to me, “I thank you. You have been so kind.

It’s nice to talk with folks like you. You see, I’m blind.”

O God, forgive me when I whine.

I have two eyes. The world is mine.

Later, walking down the street, I saw a child  with eyes of blue.

He stood and watched the others play. It seemed he knew not what to do.

I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?”

He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew, he could not hear.

O God forgive me when I whine.

I have two ears. The world is mine.

With two legs to take me where I go,

With eyes to see a sunset’s glow,

With ears to hear what I would know…

O God, forgive me when I whine.

I’m blessed indeed. The world is mine.

–Copied