Growing Old

Pictures of grannies on rockers
and crazy granddads

losing hold of reality
humorous anecdotes at best

none of which make
growing old attractive

the other alternative
is to hang on to youth

with the over-use of make-up
and getting involved in adolescent

shenanigans creating an image
of someone lost in life

trying to act out to show they still have life
but what if life has been satisfying

but the body is now wrecked from overuse
and future days are spread ahead?

Death seems a logical consequence
but with modern medicine

many of us will live to be 90
so from this point to that

there’s got to be more than eating and sleeping
even in these diminished bodies.

Active minds still want to learn
but more than that want to contribute

to life rather than be a burden
using up needed resources

that logically, belong to the youth
and future generations.

A woman I know shouted,
“I want to be young again,”

and actively pursued goals
similar to those she sought in her youth

only to become depressed
when most targets were missed.

Another tried to hold back the clock
by getting surgery but was overwhelmed

because the rest of her machinery
still needed overhauling.

The past generation
was surprised they lived so long.

My age group, on the other hand,
knows we might live past 100

but in the meantime
how do we approach aging

to be more than compromise
and suffering

more than sitting by the window sill
watching life pass us by?

We must be willing to begin like a child
discovering the world all around

with enthusiasm and wonder
learning new things about our mind

and our bodies, learning more about love
and how to actively participate

in making a difference
creating circles of women

with children and grandchildren
having conversations as we sew quilts,

weave tapestries, paint, cook,
build, garden, teach and learn.

Casual conversations to impart wisdom
and to create a peaceful place

where the world is made better
because oldsters and youngsters

spend time with each other
building a more dynamic world

where love is the ideal
and happiness the outcome.