We were never meant to live like this
We are meant to be living in a village
In a close-knit community
Surrounded by our parents and siblings
Our aunts and uncles
Our cousins and grandparents
And the friends who love us like family
Greeting the day together
Caring for the children together
Completing the daily tasks together
Sharing stories and meals and laughter and tears together
We are meant to be living in a village
Where every person we run into
Calls us by our name
And remembers the day we were born
And knows how to make us laugh
And offers us a hug when they find us crying
We are meant to be living in a village
Where each person fills a role
Where each member belongs and contributes
In small ways and big ways
That are valued and honored and celebrated
We are meant to be living in a village
Where we have elders to share their wisdom
Healers to mend our wounds
Hunters to keep our bellies full
Makers to keep us clothed and dry
Warriors to protect us
And nurturers to care for our hearts
We are meant to be living in a village
Where every need is provided for
Regardless of who we are
Young or old
Strong or weak
Wise or foolish
Because we belong in this village nonetheless
And everyone is cared for in the village
We were never meant to live like this
We aren’t supposed to be so alone
To be so independent
To be so ambivalent to the needs of our neighbors
We aren’t meant to have to struggle through life
We aren’t meant to figure out how to make it work
We aren’t meant to do it all ourselves
We aren’t meant to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps
We aren’t meant to have to guess whether we are getting it
right
Or screwing everything up
There is supposed to be a village
There is supposed to be a whole group of people
Who care for you as they care for their own selves
There is supposed to a village of people
To guide you
To teach you,
To encourage you,
To make sure that you are going to be fine
We were never meant to live like this
No wonder it’s so damn hard
