We Were Never Meant To Live Like This

 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