Stayed.

There was a time we shared a meal cost less then the bum on the corner held.

Holidayed for a day on lake. Water lapped our feet. We are moving to no longer connected, or were we learning to be alone, disconnected, unsure of personal devastation ahead.
Dusted off few bottles of wine, cans of larger. Happy times.
Perhaps heads hearts got turned became soured.

Work slow, poorly paid. Hard, youth setting, poorly funded. But Vision was held so felt rich. Streets were like the toughest areas. Youth were the nicest. Rewards came as experience got valued. Practice got measured the qualifications arrived. Many around us shared the little resources they held. Older folk who been placed in tough communities for decades. Pleased others had chosen to Stay. 

Stayed because it got under their skin. Hoped for better. Stayed. Even though better never came the client base needed that resilience. Technologies never as fasts like others held . Stayed born near by. Stayed invested in home, kids at school.

We had Love that was enough. Look back at emotional Hell relation as it became. Do people Wish they had stayed. Hungry years where tough learning platform. But worth repeating?