Lake Placid. New York State. Reflections on Life

I used to think that growing old
was one of the worst things that can happen
as we stroll through this life.

In truth, now it has arrived
it is not so bad

It has some benefits not available when we were young
things like time to pick and choose when to do things
knowing that there is always another day

In old age, we never think that we will run out of time
even though one day, the clock will stop
and we shall never know that it has.

The body may not be as spry as it once was
or the mind quite as sharp
or the memory as good
but none of this matters
because we can only live the moment
and all we have is the body, mind and memory
of that time.

Women are just as beautiful as they ever were
back in the day
The difference is that now they are strictly for looking
and never for touching and in truth
the old body is way past its prime
and the mind no longer has the urge.

The almighty dollar is worth less than it was in our youth
but again, we now have more of them in our old age
and they go further because we have no need to spend
on frivolous things.

We are comforted by our pets
who grow old as we do
and we hope that they will not outlive us.

Friends of our youth are long gone from our lives
all we have are those friendships generated since
with people as old as we
who slowly pass, one by one
and we remember them well.

It’s not so bad being old
as long as we are not just a memory.