AN UNPREDICTABLE ADVENTURE
If Genuine Progress Is Contingent,
Piecemeal, And Imperfect
Then We Will Need To Carry
An Abundance Of Patience And Persistence
As Our Constant Companions
On Every Trip We Take
To Find Our Shangri-Li

Objective Observers And Sages
Have Been Aware For Ages
That Slippage, Frustration,
Incompleteness, And Sheer Perversity
Are Some Of The Worrisome Ways
The Real World Works

Like The Polluted Air We Breathe
The Absurdities Of Daily Life Are Everywhere
And They Are A Common Cause Of Cancer
In The Body Of Our Mind

Life Is Full Of Twisted Contradictions
Combatants Are Offered Peace Prizes
For Their Destructive Deeds
Greed Is Viewed As Good
By The Worshippers Of Wealth
Criminals Are Coddled By Courts
And The Spread Of Ignorance Is Encouraged
By Educators And Intellectuals

Life Is An Unpredictable Adventure
That We Try Hard To Avoid
By Taking All The Escape Routes
That Can Lead Us From The Road
Where The Realists Are Equipped To Live

We Can Never Know For Sure
When Truths Are Being Told
And Too Often We Are Unable
To Tell The Difference
Between The Superficial Side Of Sincerity
And The Genuine Nature Of Unselfishness

All Of Our Physical
Mental And Spiritual Strategies
That We Carefully Craft
Are Executed Imperfectly
And No Matter How Simple Or Complex
The Courses We Have Chosen
We Remain Partially Entrapped
By Our Own Attitudes And Interests

None Of Us Is Endowed
With All Of The Knowledge We Need
To Fully Grow To Maturity
Or Is Blessed With The Wisdom We Desire
To Guide Us To Our Good
Or Possesses The Understanding Necessary
For Us To Intelligently Appreciate
The Complexity Of Our Plight

No One Is Exempt From The Effects
Caused By The Changing Seasons Of Uncertainty
That Complicates Our Personal Plans
Or The Unfriendly Forces
That Challenge Our Deep Faith
In The Treasure Chests We Have Chosen
To Place Our Sacred Trust

To Find A Place Of Peace
In The Cages Of Our Own Choosing
And Within Which We Are Caught
We Seek The Security Of Sleep
To Protect Us From Our Problems

Zombies Are All Around Us
They Are Neither Awake Nor Alert
And They Seem Preoccupied
With Their Own Insignificance

Stardom, Religion, Physical Aerobics
The Acquisition Of Enormous Assets
And The Quest For Power And Privileges
Are Among The Gods And Sacred Cows
We All Seek To Serve
Or To Sell Our Sacred Souls

Neither The Rich Nor The Poor
Are Completely Insured
Against The Wild Fires Of Fear
The Hurricanes Of Hate
The Evils Of Envy
Or The Vicissitudes Of Vanity

Despite Our Unassailable Sense Of Self-Importance
We Are Constantly Reminded
By Both Natural And Man-Made Causes
That Our Own Selfishness
Can Never Shield Us Completely
From The Demons Of Personal Disasters

Even Though Our Destinies Are Unknowable
And Our Crystal Balls Are Breakable
We Can Make A Difference
In The Ways Our Lives Develop

All Of Us Are Not Doomed
To Wallow In Despair Forever
Or To Exist On This Earth
In The Mire Of Our Own Making

As Long As We Remain Engaged
In The Daily Struggle For Success
We Can Play A Productive Part
In The Plays That Life Presents
Even If Our Performances
Are Somewhat Less Than Perfect

If We Expect To Advance
Beyond The Familiar Fences We Face
We Are Obligated To Explore Deeply
Every Option And Opportunity We Are Offered
To Improve Our Prospects For Prosperity

Every Chance We Take
Will Not Produce Prosperity
But If Our Exertions Are Enlightening
We Can Expect To Achieve
The Objects Of Our Interests

If We Can Remain Opened And Receptive
To New Unfolding Truths
Our Prosperity Will Be Plentiful
And Out Of The Ashes Of Disappointments
Our Greatness Will Grow

Optimism Abounds For Those Who Believe
Fresh Hope Is Ready For Harvest
And If We Use Our Intuitive Eyes
We Can See The Bright Lights
Even When The Sun Is Shielded
By The Thick Clouds Of Confusion

Winners Are Everywhere
Success Is All Around Us
Human Achievements Keep Growing
And Personal Triumphs Are Perpetual

To Fully And Objectively Test
The Truth Of Our Own Theories
We Must Get In The Game
And Give It All We Got