When I think back on my time in the East
And entering a land about which I knew little
With no idea what to expect
Of the people that await
And as we greeted each other with apprehension
Reservations about who I was
And what they expected of me
Twice the age of the other “invaders”
Superficial worldviews would say
Comparatively, they had little
Yet never did we/they want
For all life’s essentials
Smiles were abundant
Coffee was plenty
A step over any threshold
Was a call for plates of sweets
And the best any household had to offer
As I approach the year fifty
And berate myself
For not owning a house, not owning a car
While still asking almost daily
What ownership means
I have so many possessions
That I keep inside me
Stores of memories, laughter, tears and embraces
And stories or legends shared
Of lessons my life road has taught me
I no longer worry
About the property I have not yet collected
For my most valuable possession
Is the real estate of my heart
I own nothing, but I have everything
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