Circles

We all draw circles,
Or most of us do. 
It starts when we're young.
You're my friend.
You're not.
You're in this circle I have drawn.
You're not in this circle.
Later the circles become more distinctive.
You're like me. 
You're in my circle.
You're not like me,
So you're not. 

Sometimes I'll pretend my circle is wide enough to include you,
But it's only a ruse. 
My circle will never include you.

Some people try to widen their circles
To include as many people as possible,
Or resort to overlapping circles
Like a page full of Spiro-O-Graph swirls.

Some people get to share space
In the Venn-like 
Areas where the circles overlap. 
Others stay locked 
In the cut-off circle sections that never overlap,
Venn-different. 


Some people never really extend the circle 
Beyond themselves. 
They draw their circle around their own two feet. 
Because they they know 
That they, themselves, 
Are the only ones that matter.
Amazingly, these people sometimes draw, 
Not only tiny circles,
But a lot of people to themselves, 
Despite their tiny,
Exclusive circle - 
Or maybe because of it? 

Is the circle of one seductive - 
So elite it becomes an impossible dream?
People are drawn to the circle of one 
Like planets and stars and bending rays of light 
To the vortex. 
Yet no matter how much attention,
Idolization
Gets sucked into the circle of one, 
It is never enough. 
The person who stands in it
Is always alone.

Groups draw circles.
My country.
My party.
My religion.
My denomination.
My church. 
My faction within my church. 
My philosophy.
My skin color.
My taste in
Food
Movies
Books
Sports teams
Beer
Soda

The internet filters our experience, 
Makes our circles into bubbles - 
Virtual, yet unpoppable.

But there have been those people
Throughout history
Who try not to draw more circles,
But to erase them.

There once was a man
Who came along and said,
"All your circles do that matter.
Stop drawing them. 
Stop living in them.
Follow me away from the circles
And be free.

"The only people who will be thrown out
Of all circles
Are those who keep drawing them."

The people who liked circles 
Killed him.

Even sadder,
The people who followed him
Went back to drawing circles,
Sometimes very small ones. 

But we are called,
All of us,
To stop drawing circles.
To erase them. 

Or maybe someday we'll draw a circle
Wide enough to contain everyone - 
Even the people who insist on circles.