In the days of long ago walked a small child br Whose discretion was mature rather than wild br While other children pointed, laughed and teased br She did what was right rather than what pleased br br As she grew, pressure mounted from her friends br Her merits were appraised with a scrutinizing lens br Her immediate circle of friends diminished in size br When she rejected wrongdoing, it opened her eyes br br Experience taught her what was real and what was not br She soon realized it was not popularity that she sought br Being true to integrity is what her choices were about br A life absent of regret freed her from any ting of doubtbr br Theresa Ann Moorebr br