Reader Part 4 - pain is ours, shame is yours

This is the fourth of a science fiction series ( to read the first three click on hyperlinks below)
Reader part 1
Reader part 2

Reader part 3

From The Joint Head Council of Atlantica and Easterna

We the representatives of our two Supernations are pledged to maintain and improve the standards of a civilized society. Those basic standards involve the protection of each citizen independent of their race, religion, health, intellectual capacity, financial status or position. We adhere to these principles not because they are the better choice, the wiser path but because all our futures depend on this awareness. Morality is not about making selfish judgment calls at others expense. Neither is it found in targeting groups as a means of political expediency. The many individuals making up human society all have unique contributions. We celebrate their existence in our midst. Our diversity is our strength and is both embraced and welcomed.

Readers have and will continue to contribute to the betterment of our society. Their skills have allowed us to improve the true benchmark of any great civilization, how it treats the vulnerable in our midst. The young, the elderly and ill have benefited disproportionately from their intuitive skills. In choosing to exile readers from their country Pacifica has demonstrated its flawed agenda. It compounded this injustice to our society by deliberately including among the exiles, quantities of sentenced prisoners. The damage that Pacifica inflicted on its own native reader population has been compounded by the release of violent criminals into our midst as their deliberate policy. We regret the suffering and on occasion deaths that these two actions have inflicted on so many. In order to ascertain who are genuine readers it has been necessary for us to bring in technology to distinguish readers from the criminal population. We will treat all refugees with compassion and justice, criminal or otherwise.

In the actions Pacifica has taken, it has shown clearly its moral bankruptcy. Our response must be a determination to raise the true standards of civilization. The proof of this will be the creation of a united and diverse community, working for the betterment of all. Misinformation and fear has long been the tool of the tyrant.  Facts and truth must be brought into the light so that they can be distinguished from falsehood. Human intellect must always choose the light of reason over the darkness of ignorance. Our policy of embedding readers in frontline posts has already saved many lives. In their actions we see the strength of our diversity. We, the representatives of the Atlantica and Easterna, are united in our path. In choosing discrimination and dishonesty, no nation can hope to progress. Many of our citizens have paid with their lives because of your leader’s actions.  These deeds reflect the fruits of your society. The pain is ours but the shame is yours.

What Am I?

Starting the adventure full of fire
Seeing so much to do, veins pumping
Brain fizzing with possibilities
Then middle-aged asking where the years have gone
Ironing and folding, washing and tidying away all mess
Cooking and buying, stuff that will need more cleaning and work
A cycle of endeavour that no one really appreciates
Perhaps they’d notice if it were not done
But ordering in is easily done and disorder becomes the norm
So what is this all for?
A treadmill that began when tiny bodies arrived dependent and helpless

An ocean of love demanded that all their needs be met
A moment’s hesitation could cost their life
The roads, the knives, the scalding cups
And not just this
A sudden urge to give to them something of worth
From all life’s experiences, books, films, religions, great thinkers, science, philosophy
Cherry pick and feed them the morsels of the best
And not just this
Knowing that it is deeds not words that they really learn from
Fighting to be a better example
An inward struggle not to be selfish, mean spirited, fearful, despondent, negative and far from the light
Knowing that all the while that along with the morsels of goodness
They are also consuming great drafts of polluted us
Choking on the grit of our failings

Then dawns the day for which you struggled, worked and prayed
An independent soul steps out towards the light
Sometimes you see echoes of yourself, a gesture, a laugh
But it is just a faint shadow because they are so much better and brighter than you dreamed possible
And from that place in the sun they can look back and see the darkness of us
Our failings, faults and fumblings
Suddenly feeble, lost with no parent’s authority to clothe ourselves
Watching the ceaseless tasks we fill our days with
Wondering why we chose this
And you want to tell them it was all because of love
Every day the joy of those you love
Laughing, living, being
Out of that, a routine was born and even now when all stand before me independent
Strong and capable
I continue as before
What am I to do?
For so long this was the pattern of my life
Don’t judge me
I must find a new path but am just a little lost

You see you no longer need me and that need has fuelled the last quarter century of my life
Now I clean and iron and cook and wonder what am I?
No longer what I was, but not sure what lies ahead
Fearful, lacking confidence, older, forgetful and trying to find myself anew
Stumbling forward hoping to find direction

Trying to let go and trust
Suddenly, looking inward and within
Scrambling to find self worth to cling to
It’s difficult with all this flab
But somewhere in this half century of life’s battlefield
I have learned to be grateful for this ocean of love and am
Willing myself to end the adventure full of fire with so much to do.

Uncertainty

Uncertainty abounds
making me question everything
suddenly I seem rudderless
still in the water
awaiting breeze or star
wondering how come
I feel so far away
without star to guide
or inner compass working