The nature of things at 85

[Jeff Goldman]

We had just finished singing
Happy birthday to my dad
Tears welled up in his eyes
I don’t think from being sad
Both my sisters, and I
Could see from where we were
Emotion was on display
My little sister could not stop hers
I made a comment to my mom
My sister had mascara tracks
“Yeah, I know” my mother said
“She worries about your dad
She wants us to live forever
And you know, we just can’t”
And there’s the rub, don’t you know
That limited time we’re here
Time seems long when we’re young
And short after living many years
I too, want them to live forever
Or at least until I’m gone
But that’s just not the nature of things
As our lives still move along
Forget holding back the tide
It is not death I fear
But moving through life with purpose
Has become abundantly clear

[UlfvarrOT]

Our family and friends are indeed on this planet for a short amount of time. It's so fleeting; we need to make the best of it. Also, the flow in this is smooth as butter. Good work!

[S(OU)LAR]

That everything changes or nothing lasts makes every moment special. Nothing to waste and all to savor.
One of myriad special moments captured well here. Thanks for sharing. Peace.

[Josie]

Younger folk tend to think that they have endless time to get things done, but there are some who are always preparing for tomorrow. The nature of things is to reach a balance. Don't let time deprive you of activities that bring you joy and satisfaction. When you are older, you may no longer have the strength and health you once had. Participate in life activities while you can. Keep writing!

[Ladywildalice]

Fear and uncertainty act like a steel-barred cage. It traps us, holds us within our emotions and doesn't let us see that, despite the current situation, things could be so much worse. Yes....we will all die. Yes...our parent, our grandparents, our siblings, our children, our grandchildren, our friends...will all die. But you can not live your life trapped in that thinking for all your years, or one day you wake up and realize you have spent your entire life dreading what now is finally here. We must all find our own way to see the beauty in our days and nights, to cherish every moment we breathe, to experience patience, kindness and consideration with all we come in contact with, and make the most out of each day. In my job, I greet people with "Good morning or good afternoon or hello there, then how are you today? And they, generally respond "I am good how are you?" My answer "I woke up this morning, so it all good from there." See your blessings and be thankful, don't wait for others to make you happy, make yourself happy, give of yourself, your time, your knowledge, your skill to others freely and unselfishly. You will be amazed at how much more fulfilled you will feel."