March 22-B, 2023

In a world where we cannot trust anyone,
everyone is a predator and a victim,
and no one can trust anyone
to be who they say they are.

We all have to be self-reliant
and savvy,
and stay well within our 
comfort/safety zone for life.

It helps immensely
to have a family
and long-time friends
to depend on,
and woe be unto those
who have to fend for themselves
all of the time.

Only they know how oppressively
stressful and exhausting
that grows to be over time.

Just to tag out
and be able to trust someone!
To be able to relax
and enjoy the company
of strangers!
What a simple thing to ask.
What a terrible thing to lose!

And yet,
and yet...
Here we are.

Making it our place,
individually,
around this small circle
of a writer
and his readers,
to take it upon ourselves
to form communities of innocence
among our "friends"
and associates,
with the only requirement 
of membership being a place--
a person--
where others are safe to be.

Ask two people to join you
and keep it small,
with 8 to 10 being large.
Several small groups
are much to be preferred 
over one large group.

Meet to just talk,
to just be together,
over lunch,
over coffee/beer/wine,
to say what's up with you today,
and see where it goes,
knowing that you are less alone
than you were when you started,
and how sadly wonderful that is,
anyway, nevertheless, even so.  

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