Half A Century

I've learned in 50 years that it's Not what you say and do But how you treat the people who Bring out the worst in you You don't have to take the higher ground Every single time The air up there is thinner And it messes with your mind Get down there in the dirt When it's time to make a stand Fight the fights you need to fight For the situation at hand It's good to have a passing interest In things that stretch your mind Politics and religion But only if you don't take sides Never nail your colours To another person's mast Opinions and ideas change Don't cling on to the past The future can't be seen Despite what people say Experience is subjective And different every day In 50 years I've made mistakes Some I can't put right I have to live with those regrets They keep me warm at night It doesn't matter who you love And it doesn't matter why As long as you tell them While you look them in the eye Never let the sun set on A day without those words The rot sets in and soon you'll see It affects your world Don't be scared to speak your mind Don't be scared of change Confront the words of hate with love Truth is not afraid It's taken half a century To make me who I am It's taken half a century To learn to be this man Fifty years ago A mistake I know It's taken half a century To let that feeling go