I THOUGHT I WAS ITALIAN…

When I was four or maybe five

My world around was my surprise

I lived at home and on my street

Where all my neighbours I would meet

Outside we’d play and live in freedom

Retire inside within our kingdom

Each day would bring a new adventure

Where we all travelled “Bonaventure!”

This was my world, my sense of life

Never knew the word called “strife”

My friends across the street from me

Always brought good company

Some words they said, I never heard

“It’s in Italian, from Italy!”

I tried to say but only slurred

“That’s OK”, they said to me

I did not question, nor reflect

Being young you don’t regret

I’d learn some words and try a few

My British roots were added too

And on this street on one clear day

I asked my mummy to look my way

I asked about my bank account

And inquired of its amount

She looked at me like I had horns

“Where on earth?” she really scorns

Wondering now, what did I do

I said my friend had one too

She look at me and simply said

“Oh silly child they’re Italian purebred.”

But what she said next blew me away

“We’re not Italian!”…what did she say?

Or how I felt a sudden rift

How I remember this paradigm shift

I thought I was Italian! it’s true!

We were all the same, was my point of view

So now I remember how this “different” started

What was together was now departed

What I thought in human nature

Removed by that of human nurture

I forgot about money and bank accounts too

I now saw a difference between “me” and “you”

But how it’s perceived is significant here

Humanity is first, this I hold dear!

It still remains with me this day

That I was happy to think my way

Those words said then, That very moment!

The word called “different” was my opponent!

#PaulaG #paulapoems #opism

******

I’m writing poems almost every day😇

It is easier for me to #share this way

I really hope that you don’t mind.

I like words that magically unwind.😊

But on Sunday! I like to share from my special collection.

And today my poem here is a child’s reflection

I strongly believe in humanity

I also support diversity

******

The poem I share here is a true story. I lived and was raised on a street here in Canada where every neighbour was from somewhere else around the world. It was a land of immigrants all here on this street; like a United Nations of different cultures and diversity.

But it is through the eyes of a child reflecting here, who didn’t know anybody was different. She saw people for people and thought they were all the same. Sure there were differences, but she knew that God made everyone unique.

“It’s one of the first lessons in life

and a disheartening one too,

when the pure mind of a child

is altered by a view.” #opism

This one is rather funny actually….but it rings so true

What I want to say to you.

Comment after what challenges you see in our daily life of humanity?

#PaulaG #paulapoems #opism

#whatinspiresme #creativity #italy #motivational #leadership #future #happiness #humanity #unitednations # diversity #education

******

We are all unique and should celebrate

But also remember all humans equate

No one is better when born on this earth

The lives that we live are different from birth

One must consider the mind of a child

When born we are pure, tender and mild

Life is the test beyond all comprehension

We are born in a world of condemnation

In order to walk we learn how to crawl

In order to get, we learn how to bawl

In order to love, we learn to survive

In order to die, we must first be alive

#poetry #writing #life #storytelling #deeplearning #psychology