Back in the day of youth and childhood
A treasured responsibility was, in reality, a chore
Clean the chalkboard and eraser, and finally?
Use water and a rag – Make It Like New!
The first few times we washed the car
It was fun to play with the water hose
Have a good time. Remember? Suds and squirts!
Today? It’s a chore. Maybe once a year.
I remember washing the windows.
Screens were removed and hosed down hard.
The gravel road brought all kinds of dust and debris
But the chore became a job – Wipe Them Clean!
The worst job of childhood was cleaning area rugs.
They were oblong and woven, somehow.
I can’t tell you the last time I saw one like them.
Hang it over the fence and beat it with a broom!
But when it comes to heartaches, it’s hard, you know.
Forgive. Forget. Move on. Remember, wipe the slate clean!
Memories are like an elephant’s mind.
It’s said they remember a very long time.
But my dogs keep coming back for special attention
Even after they’ve done something wrong.
Maybe the key to what we hold onto
Is our memory span – the words, feelings, and rejections?
Someone gets to “always” be in the right
And you, on the other side, must always be wrong.
I’m blessed with a memory that clears its data banks.
Unplug, write, and throw the memory on the refuse pile.
Forget. Forgive. What? I dunno! I forgot. It’s that easy…
The first time. But we never truly forget. That’s truth!
We know the old saying about being fooled.
Once? Shame on you. Twice and more? Shame on me.
There are some I’ve learned to be on my guard.
I’m extra careful every time we connect.
There’s a trust factor that’s missing.
Even when you forgive and forget.
Some burr in the saddle reminds you…
You can’t trust this one! So you don’t.
But you can gloss over the awkward moment
When you meet at some event.
Always be the one to reach across the aisle.
Show you know how to Wipe The Slate Clean.
Who knows? Quien Sabe? It may just work!
It is a two-way street that both sides must work at
To keep everything civil – you know, civility does work!
So, let me tell you quickly. I’ve wiped the slate clean.
Age, time, and distance traveled – all have a way of helping it work.
Let’s be acquaintances, even if we are never friends again.