The Misery Pool

"Everybody swims in the misery pool, right Mr. Cat?"
Yes, oh yes oh yes, at least once in a lifetime, everybody swims.
"Can I try and see what it's like Mr. Cat?"
You don't have to but if you wish, just for a bit, go be a fish but obey the sign
and stay in the shallow end.
The faster you're out the less sad you'll be.
"But what about those people already in the deep end?"
They disobeyed and chose to stay, far far away.
They can't get out unless they swim back, back to the shallow end.

"Won't they get sadder, wetter and stuck that far in the deep?"
Indeed, that they will my, boy but they believe they won't.
For they brought their towels made out of excuses and ripped by low self esteem.
"Well that's no good, if they're stuck, can't we help them get on out?"
No, no no,  they'll just pull you in and then say you are the one, the one that got them stuck.
Then where will we be?  The misery pool will have you too, struggling in the deep.
Why did they disobey the sign, knowing what's out there and go to the deep to be stuck and sad?
Because my boy, the lies they tell themselves convince them that is what they deserve.

--JL