Sunday, April 21, 2024

introspective

Once I had a sure sense of myself 

Able to pull on a continuous thread 

Stitching together people and places

Into the unbroken timeline of my life 


Who I was and who I am defined by

What I remembered from early childhood 

And so much that has happened since 

All collected as moments stored away 


But memories are subject to change 

Unreliable as witness accounts 

Sketches redrawn with each retrieval

Influenced by the present moment 


Now I am not so sure I believe myself 

When I review the story of my life 

Realizing much of it is a plausible fiction 

Revealing the character of the author 


Thinking about the events and scenes

That made an impression good or bad 

No longer just inside myself having feelings

Wondering about the other people there


What they experienced interests me

Wanting to include their perspective 

Considering the interpersonal dynamic 

How we affected each other 


Questions that cannot be answered 

But informative just by being asked 

Speaking to who I have become 

Someone older and more introspective