(For my friends at NAMI Rochester)

When we stumble and fall you stop and help us to stand You support us until we can walk all the while, making us believe we can

Today, life is chaos mad, wild, out of control a raging river on which I’m trapped

In the forest rests a great gingerbread house With glistening creams and candies sweet, succulent, delicious

In a small town built around a canal you'll find what looks to be an ordinary bridge

It's been so long I thought I was okay To go it alone But it wasn't okay

It's so easy to scream To stomp your feet To draw attention to yourself to storm and bleat

We don't want violence in our streets We want love in our hearts

We don't want screams of fear We want songs of hope

As your time here ends And you say farewell to old friends

Everyone here is sad to see you go But worry not, we're happy for you, I hope you know

Looking out the window There's life, moving, whirling about A never ending motion Like a kaleidoscope always turning Changing the world in small ways People come, people go Nothing stays the same for long Not even a microsecond

I cannot understand the life you've lived how my world looks to you what you go through every day