Gains of Going Odd

When I was a child,
my parents said, "Don't play with this and that."
I played.
(Obviously. I also ate mud. No regrets.)

When I was a school kid,
the teachers said, "Work hard."
I listened not.
(I was busy counting ceiling fans.)

Now I am married.
She said, "Learn from others' husbands."
I closed my eyes.
(They buy diamonds. I buy onions. Same thing?)

When I have a child,
he will say, "Let me do this and that."
And I will let him!
(Then blame his mother. Classic.)

                                             

 Because

everyone taught me a lesson or two:

Playing taught me to learn
(like how to hide broken toys under the bed).

Laziness taught me to work hard
(for exactly three minutes, then tea break).

Comparison taught me who I am
(the guy whose neighbor's grass is suspiciously greener).

So here's the truth, absurd but true:
Better to do wrong than have nothing to do.
I let lessons pass like a slow-moving train,
then stood in the rain and forgot them again.