Photo by Kenny Louie (Flickr)
Writing Workshop Wednesday: Thanksgiving by Justin Burggraeve
Thanksgiving
I would walk the streets
Night after night
soaked, cold ,wet
blistered feet
wondering where I had gone wrong.
Wasn't it just yesterday
That I had it all.
I awakened one morning
on my usual park bench
Suddenly it was all clear as mud.
Everyday spent being tortured
by guards in segregation cell
Was a gift
Everynight spent in a rat and bug
infested SkidRow
Hotel
Was a gift.
Every night spent on a
Park Bench, freezing
or
sleeping in front of Insite
to make it to the 10 a.m
Detox check in
Was a gift
Everyday in a hospital bed
wondering if it was my last
every overdose
every funeral attended
for
this
cancer
that
suicide
car accident
overdose......
every tragedy I faced....
Was a gift
everyday spent starving
and dope sick
was an absolute gift
you know it's funny,
I don't feel the same way
about
the college scholarship
the 6 figure job
the condo
the trips
the women
the expensive clothes and jewelry.....
anymore anyways
"Although the world is filled with suffering,
It is also filled with the overcoming of it."
Helen Keller, deaf and blind
Put that together
Well, thank you Skidrow
for now I have the greatest gift
I could ever receive
the gift of knowing the meaning of life......
Humility, compassion, tolerance, understanding, and above all ....
Love for my fellow marginalized, mentally ill, addicted, homeless, and hurting brothers and sisters
I truly feel sorry for my old friends who believe in the Golden Rule: He who makes the Gold, Makes the rules.... sad, sad,sad
Thank you East Hastings,
I owe you my Life
By Justin Burggraeve
Justin participates in Megaphone's creative writing workshop at Onsite.
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