Age of Anxiety
by Michael Doyle

Looking out for my daughters with empathy
As this modern age drips with anxiety
There are so many issues and concerns seen
It quickly overwhelms any human being

It has become an epidemic across this nation
Where morbid complexity gives way to depression
Rising from the sweltering depths of the pandemic
A nation of angst has grown somehow systematic

Entering high school, it seems so much matters
As leaving middle school, friends seem to scatter
A parent wishes for life to become a smooth roll
But instead, watches life's issues take their toll

Sometimes scared and embarrassed by things seen
As they scroll through social media's vivid screens
It's increasingly hard to connect to any community
There's only so much to be done with one's family

I watch each of them wise beyond their knowing
Taking fatherly delight in watching their growing
I see them taking steps in their development
Increasingly, I am there only to offer encouragement

It's up to my daughters as their own human beings
To keep confidence, seeking competence and meaning
I whisper to them to never, ever fear the shadows
And that I love them more than they can truly know

When they get lost in life's darkness and blight
I call them quietly to always focus on the light
There it is, where they are, waiting for their sight
If their courses need correcting, they'll set it right

I see them sometimes feel failure as they learn
But their sense of this is better than some will earn
There is no point in living hard and pressuring oneself
Not all of life's lessons will come from bookended shelves

In this age of internet connection, so much alienation
Comes to be the pattern that needs constant detection
Therapy and medication are not needed, nor a stranger's love
I try to show them to keep their heads praying to the above

Heaven may not speak loudly, but listen close to hear
And you'll find your way through anything you might fear
This crisis and challenge is pervasive across our community
But my daughters will know they've got their loving family

(c) August 27, 2024    Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved