Live As If

A small little ghost

  Popped up out of my sock drawer

     And spoke. 

I got up out of bed to smoke, ignoring it,

   but the little ghost followed me, flying right over my shoulder. 

It said, 

“Live as if all of your:

   ancestors, 

    lovers, 

     friends, 

     and animals,

        that you’ve ever known 

          were living through you.

“Would you still let fear control you if you knew they were all counting on you to do what your soul called you to do? 

“What if they are all counting on you to make your/their dreams come true?

“Think of all of the qualities you admire in others . . . 

Go ahead, think about it for a second or three . . . 

They’re also in you. 

It’s true, 

all of your: 

ancestors, 

lovers, 

friends 

and animals 

you’ve ever known

still linger inside of you. 

“Make their dreams come true for them. 

     And make your dreams come true for you.”

I stared at him,

before I blew my smoke in the face of the little ghost.

-CH 10/5/25