Why Poem by Carolyn Brunelle

Why rejoice when someone else
is aging like we are?
Why feel vindicated when someone else
stumbles and makes a mistake like we did?
Why are we validated by another’s struggle
that we relate to our own?

We all feel less alone;
more akin to one another
in our brotherhood of experience,
so why aren’t we more honest about our lives,
our struggles, so others can feel this way too?

What do we protect and preserve in secrecy?
Why are we such islands to ourselves,
unable to relate to a world of others
making a similar journey?

Others could use our help;
a sustaining knowledge
that we are, after all, humans
having a very similar human experience.

We could strengthen
through our vulnerabilities,
rather than weaken a next generation
with a facade of such towering valor;
competency and skill.