Stormy Skies

Once Upon A Time

He leaned forward, shaking his head as he rubbed his temples, tired and weary of the everlasting routine of life. "Things weren't always this way. Once upon a time, people loved unconditionally, which meant something deeper than strong. It meant that no matter what happened, their love would remain, because it wasn't based on the other's actions, but rather, the very core of who they were. Once upon a time, children laughed at real things, like the breeze on their face and kites in the blue summer sky and dogs out on a walk. They smiled at green leaves dancing up in the trees and funny jokes and chocolate milk. Once upon a time, the world was different. It can be like that again."

This time, she looked up at him with her piercing grey eyes, sorrowful and passionate at the same time. "But once upon a time, politics were about making the world a better place. Television was to bring people together, after church on Sundays for the football game. Phones were so that, even though people were miles away, they could wish each other happy birthday and merry christmas and I'm so sorry for your loss. Once upon a time, people looked each other in the eye when they talked and nothing vital was lost between emojis in a text. Once upon a time, people waited to have sex until after marriage. Once upon a time, Ebola wasn't a joke and neither was everyone's mother. Once upon a time, teenagers could tell each other how they felt and parents didn't feel the need to restrict them. Once upon a time, we smiled at strangers. Once upon a time, we would have said good morning and thank you to the cashier at the drive thru coffee place because we could tell he had been there for thousands of years, and would be there for centuries more. Once upon a time, airports only took half an hour and nobody cut themselves because of a boy band member. Once upon a time people kept offensive comments to themselves and didn't get so worked up about the proverbial price of milk. Once upon a time, there was a point to living because there wasn't. There wasn't a driving pressure to do this, do that, succeed, wake up and make money, diet, lose weight, get married and have two kids, pay your taxes drive the speed limit do the laundry wash the dishes shower once a day three square meals, support feminism and gay rights and same sex marriage and the transgender community and be in student council and get straight A's and don't forget to comb your hair wash your face and brush your teeth. Get your clucking ducks in a row get your life together get your drivers license too.

But hey follow "ur" dreams and be yourself and don't worry be happy.

Once upon a time, we lived for the simple joyous sake of living, and died not because there was nothing left to live for, but because we had to leave room for someone else to flourish in the same exhilaration we had found.

Once upon a time, freedom meant free.
Once upon a time, "safe zone" was a war term, not a sheltered place for sensitive college kids.
Once upon a time, a song about a dragon and an innocent boy and growing up didn't have to be about marijuana.
Once upon a time, Judgement Day was a day in a Terminator movie, not every goddamn day in life.
Once upon a time, forgiveness didn't require forgetting.
Once upon a time, hope didn't mean being naïve.

Once upon a time, in a land far away, the world was younger and purer, and love meant something more.

But that time was a long time ago."

Your time has just begun. What will you leave behind?