A Change of Heart

News and opinions poured forth
From papers, pundits, and posts
Each reflecting, raging, and roaring

Against what?
Who?
And why?

The searing crimes of hatred
The cold adjudicators of injustice and intolerance
The passive acceptance of environmental degradation

My mind leapt to the fore
“You know what to do —
How to face these familiar foes!”

Fear the world!
Fight the world!
Fix the world!

I drew a deep breathe
In the soothing silence
My heart spoke

In a gentle whisper it said,
“Relax, your first job is to
Love the world.”

— A poem by Jack Uldrich