Everyone's Wanting

a poem about everyone, and nobody, and me

Everyone's recruiting devoted subjects to the kingdom of their ego
Everyone's peddling their part-time coaching to those working full-time
Everyone's afraid of wrinkles but nobody’s worried about not becoming wise
Everyone's swiping left on their soulmate because they don't match their criteria
Everyone's buying health insurance and two big macs
Everyone's wanting to feel alive without feeling scared
Everyone's wanting enlightenment without a dark night of the soul
Everyone's planning an escape route just for themselves
Everyone's looking for the stars in city lights
Everyone's wanting true friends without being honest to false ones
Everyone's selling shortcuts to wisdom earned through lived experience
Everyone's wanting guidance from God without doing what they already know’s right
Everyone's exercising to look good naked but nobody’s cleaning their conscience
Everyone's wanting to help the old lady but now’s not a good time
Everyone's planning to get to their dreams once they finish checking notifications
Everyone's wanting the present moment to get on with it

(and by everyone, I mean me)
but also

I just want to hear the silence between the wanting
I just want to downsize my judgments until I can move free
I just want to watch a beautiful sunset without taking a picture
I just want to hold the okay-ness around it not being okay
I just want to want what I've got
I just want to praise God for how things are
I just want to meet the pain of being
and have her over for tea