I Meekly Mirrored the Meerkat’s Manners

I meekly mirrored the meerkat’s manners

For I, too, feared what the world had in store.

And it seemed as if every time I stuck my head out, hoping to see my life above,

Some new threat would remind me why it’s better to stay in the dark.

Underground.

Hidden from the light that I longed to feel again.

But Meerkats are immune to venom.

And Meerkats can survive in the harshest conditions.

And Meerkats have been known to live long, fulfilling lives.

So I’ll meekly mirror the meerkat’s manners

For your words will no longer poison me.

And I’ll adapt to whatever the outdoors throw my way.

And I will not just live, but know what it means to be alive.

Because I have learned

That like the Meerkat, I am not alone.

And the strength of the Meerkat is not defined by it’s predators,

But by the ones they keep by their side.