After watching The Social Dilemma recently I’ve been increasingly concerned about the impacts of social media on our wellbeing.

Especially for those that haven’t known the world without it. Those that were born into believing that followers and likes equals self worth.

Trying to navigate through the twists and turns of life is a task of its own let alone being held to unreachable standards before you’ve had the chance to plant your feet on the earth.

I don’t have children of my own. But I do have nieces and nephews whom I worry about endlessly.

Below is a poem I wrote thinking of the little people among us trying to navigate a world we adults are challenged by.

Safety in a similar motion

I fell asleep to the sound of the ocean

And dreamt of your safety through whispers

Of a similar motion. I’ve seen the echoes

Of what you want, or might become.

Oh please stay sensitive sweet one

I’m not here to tell you wrong

Tall trees, deep green and rivers long

I want to shield your body from glare

Or spark when you’ve no idea on how

To remark. You’re still a child

Wrapped in silk. In my dreams you’re

Playing with strawberries and milk.

I want to teach you how pull to the shore

Because it’s swirls and pools and plashes 

You just can’t ignore. Take caution

with the winds, but there are just too many

Things, dark stones, deep groans

Those shimmering thrones

Scarlet, crimson and all of the unknowns.

It’s hard to see the people you care about clearly

When it comes to you, my eyes are either

Blinded or teary.

In my dream I was able to tell you all that I know.

That blue should be in all that you grow

Green and yellow won’t help you clean

But brown and red are shadows of a dream

Soft words, deep hums, berries and bread

Will keep your heart well fed