By Julie Benezet:
Over the holidays, I attended a Boxing Day party for which each of the guests was asked to bring something creative to share. Being a little shy of sharing my latest Pulitzer prize winning novel or belting out an aria or two (just kidding), I wasn’t sure what to offer.
I responded with silence. Then the hostess inserted herself into my inbox to say to my husband and me that she was writing up the program for the evening and, “I’m struggling with a title for Julie’s “offering, so (wildly guessing) I’m calling her topic/title ‘The Wonderful Power of the Unknown.’ How does that sound, Julie?”
“Oh,” thought I, with a sigh. “That thing.” Gauntlet thrown.
I had five minutes of free time and a glass of wine before attempting to write in poetic form the essence of what I learned over my last three years of Journey work.
In the spirit of living my creed of taking chances, here is what I produced. I promise to keep my day job and not to make a habit of this. The party guests liked it, or maybe it was their wine speaking.
Not So Sure About Being Sure
Being sure
An overrated concept.
How many times have I strolled into a room,
Ready to go,
Only to find the people in there
Had different ideas
On what I needed to know?
Corners to turn
Dead ends to face
A glimmer here and there.
Then a trickle of light
Making me stop, readjust, see something new.
Consider a different turn.
Did I compromise,
Or did I learn
Something else that would make me better?