Age (or years you lived) is just a number, when focused on, warps the mind.
And after much use, memories fade, recede, or let go, so please be kind.
While young, use your time wisely to run, play, learn— be forever a child.
Enjoy your surroundings, keep busy, help others, let your imagination run wild.
When your workday, that I hope you like, is over, garden, walk, relax, do less,
Explore new hobbies, expand your horizons, read, bake, anything to de-stress,
Ignore influences like booze, smoking, drugs that could take you in your prime,
Keep active in body and mind, taking healthy meds to expand precious time.
When you feel your age (and it’s old) and you have been busy all day,
Just relax in your chair, reminisce, knit, read, take a nap, and pray.
Give thanks for the wonderful life you had and do still with friends and offspring,
For vacation memories, for a warm home, food, clothes, family and many things.
We elder folks are slow and need more time getting places and doing daily tasks
We appreciate help with chores, as we sit with a book and in the sun bask.
Or volunteer, phone friends, adjust to change, cover the pain of age with grace
While waiting to bid goodbye to earthly loved ones, moving on to a better place.
Janet Slayton
Woodbury
This poem was written for the Verse-Village celebration of April Poetry Month.
