Now that I am old

With thanks to Jenny Joseph and Warning

The warnings, the threats are past no longer do I say when I am old I will, 

rather I can say 

Now that I am old,  not only will I wear purple, I will wear whatever 

colour pleases me today,  yes, even black and white.

Now that I am old I will not be 

flattered that you think I am young ( I worked hard to get this old), 

I will give thanks for all the years I have lived, especially those in which life seemed too hard, and someone always came along to help see me through and I learned again and again, I 

was not alone. 

Now that I am old, I recognize angels more quickly, those walking flesh angels, 

those I have known in flesh and those who accompany us all, and I dare to say it, 

I saw an angel today, 

 I have loved some  who journeyed with me and left me and this world too

soon, ( they did not get to be old like me)  they companion me still 

reminding me lest I forget,  that

THIS is my sacred life and only I get to live it, to revel in my joys, to sob through

my sorrows, and to be present in all of it, the stormy seas, and the frolicking 

waves of delight.  They remind me, daily if I listen,  

they remind me that I am a lucky one, 

Now that I am old, I get to play with grandchildren, 

 I get to let go of worry, and live with the all, of whom I always wanted to be,

 no longer concerned about what others say, ( they will say it, whether I 

concern  myself or not)  no longer anxious and wondering whether there will be enough time

to do it all ( there will not be)   

Now that I am old I get to live unapologetically as me, 

perhaps the voices from the other side say, 

perhaps you always could, and then in a collective voice 

they encourage me

 just do it! 

gkn October 2015