Well, a straight path
to any goal
is either an illusion,
or the path and goal
were made by someone else,
and so the goal itself
is really not a goal

We must be kind
both to ourselves and anyone who’s striving —
no one arrives without
what could be seen as setbacks —
there probably was really not
a better way to go,
and where we went
(and where they went)
is also probably
not what it looks like
to anyone observing from outside

That’s what I tell myself
about our roof —
so many storms, so many leaks,
so many temporary measures
which made their own troubles,
until we finally — let’s hope it’s sometime soon —
arrive at where our house is safe and dry.

©Wendy Mulhern
September 23, 2019