in the know minus the “k”

if you are afraid the world is passing you by, it is.
if you are afraid you’re missing something, you are.

spinning, faster, faster, faster, never-ending scenes and
happenings, careening paster, past-your, faster —

you can’t keep up with the world in its twirling-
dervish pace. it is meant to be too much, and

you are meant to be one. that’s the
secret they don’t tell you:

the trick isn’t to keep up.
the trick is to stay still long enough

to see what gift the world
whirls into your arms.

the trick is to stop and catch it. embrace and love it.
give thanks. be in it. live in it. hold it close.

if it’s toxic, throw it again into the swirling pace.
know which things to give back and when.

if you are afraid the world is passing you by, stop and look:
your son might be trying to tell you

something terribly important in the
world of a three-year old.

if you are afraid you’re missing something,
stop and breathe. you’ll find

all that was missing from your world
was you.

~J.A. Carter-Winward