I vividly remember being told so often
“Keep your head out of the clouds”
I remember it like it was just yesterday
Cautionary words from the so-called wise
“Daydreaming will only cause distraction”
Good thing I wasn’t much of a listener
I tucked those words away for a rainy day
As I was off to find another adventure
Whether borne of my wild imagination
Or found in the bright sun of my reality
My days WERE spent wisely as I see it
Contrary to my elders conservative beliefs
Somewhere along the way I grew up
Saw the ugly side of truth in this world
Found appreciation for the basis of those words
Yet still I refused to give up the many wonders
Gifted me by the heavens to let my mind wander
So I decided the only thing to do is compromise
Now with an arsenal of the best of both worlds
I can attack reality with ferocity from every direction
I can swim with literary mermaids in a fictional sea
While slaying the dragons of the everyday world
Priceless the value of my double edged imagination
Kept razor sharp by the need for real world existence
So, to my elders, I say Thank You for your warnings
That I stored away for that rainy day inevitability
When childlike imagination was no longer an option
Thank you also for not enforcing the code too strictly
Letting me hone the skills necessary to walk the fine line
Between the two worlds that mean so very much to me
My discovery is what I wish to pass along to any and all
That fine line can not only be walked with grace and pride
But it can be twisted and turned into any direction you wish
My lessons are both simple and simultaneously very complex
If you listen carefully and follow the heart before the mind
You too will come to see the importance of fantasy in reality
JMC813 