Steady Habits Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Aging is a remarkable experience.
To actually live and witness it.
With it to notice,
Regardless of the many changes...
Others put themselves through.
Remaining to accept to be oneself,
In the beginning seems very difficult.
But remaining to be oneself,
Having different interests...
Gets much more easier to do.

Many years ago,
When still a child...
In elementary school.
I remember being asked,
What is the one thing I wanted to do.
To choose for the rest of my life.
Then plan for retirement.
After I married.
And had kids and a wife.
Where would I live.
To rock in a chair to sit and reminisce.
With this done to prepare,
For death until I died.
That's the way life use to be.
Normal and steady.
Mundane and trouble free.

We use to consider others,
As misfits and mavericks.
The ones who chose to do many things.
To find this unacceptable.
Calling them Jack of all trades.
But too dumb to master one.

Today?
If anyone is incapable,
Of wearing many hats done at one time.
They would be thought immediately,
To be lazy, unmotivated and out of their minds.
And those of steady habits?
How the times have changed.
Today these are the people,
Who seem most likely to complain.
About their aches and pains.
And medications they take.
Where to go to get prescriptions,
For their various sexual pleasures.
To keep that feeling prolonged...
With whomever it is just for sex to satiate.

And remaining oneself,
With different interests to pursue.
Use to be difficult and noticed.
But much easier to do.
Especially these days when steady habits mean.
Advocating to support thieves and crooks.
Legalized drugs.
Division and hypocrisy.
As truth and honesty seems more demeaned.

Steady habits these days,
Means who best can fake to be someone else.
And praised for their imitation.
To then be chosen and elected,
As a leader of their kept delusions.

Yes,
Aging is a remarkable experience to witness it.
With it to notice how easily,
Those who have no clue...
Of who they are or choose to do.
Yet...
Shallow of mind without dignity and identity too.
Left and meant to stay confused.
Can be steadily abused and habitually addicted,
To those who are slick with tricks.
And quick to hoodwink and dupe.
Will give applause, standing ovations and love!
To those who have,
Proven steady habits of turning those mindless...
Into fools!