Dreams, Goals and Heroes

Evaporated are the dreams
I may have had when young.
No fame or fortune did I reach;
no stars were I among.

When I was just a toddler
my world was family.
Nothing mattered but the things
that were in front of me.

Of course I had no dreams or goals
nor knew what such things meant.
My world was very, very small,
and I was quite content.

My parents were my heroes first;
they clothed and cared for me.
They kept me fed and safe from harm;
No better could they be.

Like any boy of age
I idolized my dad,
so he was probably the first
real hero that I had.

He was a mechanic then
but to my bright, young eyes
he was the greatest one of all--
So talented and wise.

Like most young boys I watched TV
and loved the heroes there.
When Superman was on I'd sit
and glassy-eyed would stare.

The Lone Ranger was another
of my heroes of those years.
I loved those men that wore those masks
that hid them from their fears.

I think my hero worship
during teens was put away.
Hormonal issues took the lead
of thoughts I had each day.

In my twenties I would sometimes sit
and at myself be pissed.
I'd reflect on time I wasted--
Opportunities I missed.

If only I had studied hard
and set some goals instead.
I'd probably be much better off--
Financially ahead.

When I finally settled down
and married with a home,
I seldom pondered things I missed
or where I yearned to roam.

But then I found myself again
with heroes on the mind,
but this time it was more along
the philanthropic kind.

I love the feel of giving
and wish there was no end
to the needy people I could help
or how much I could spend.

Occasionally I still have thoughts
of how cool that it would be
to be so good at something
that the world would worship me.

Looking back at all I've done
and dreams that I have had
notable accomplishments are few
except that I'm a dad.

Rick Williams