Eighty Year Old Self

I was sitting in my office,
When I heard a loud sound,
I looked out my window,
To see a bird laying on the ground.

It had broken its wing,
And within minutes, it died.
This delicate little creature,
Made me reflect on life.

I thought about you,
And I wondered if we’d ever meet,
Obviously, I expect to become you,
But I don’t know the expiration date on this heartbeat.

I’m not being morbid,
Death is simply a part of life,
So what can I do about it?
Instead of dwelling on concerns, which are rife?

I can live and love big,
Starting today, not tomorrow.
I can help bring light,
Where there is sorrow.

I can pour my heart out,
Every single day,
So that if it’s the last one,
I’ll have said what I wanted to say.

I can take stock of the supply of love,
That I possess on a daily basis,
And give away every last bit of it,
To help those who need it find an oasis.

I can try any new experiences,
And I can big take chances,
So that when my time expires,
I’ll have a colorfully painted canvas.

I want to squeeze out,
Every ounce life has to give,
So that when it’s over,
I’ll have lived as much as one could possibly live.

Life is fleeting,
It’s a temporary treasure,
I’ll try to remember,
Not to let mine be externally measured.

I want to live lightly,
I don’t want to hoard life, love, or joy,
I will expect and prepare for tomorrow,
But I must never wait to let those things deploy.

I won’t have any room,
For judgment or hate,
There’s no need for excess baggage,
While I await the pearly gates.

I’ll do my best to make sure,
That you won’t feel like I let you down,
And that you’ll agree that I did my best,
To humbly and assuredly wear my crown.

Sometimes when I am faced,
With a difficult choice,
I imagine what you would say to me,
And I give your words a voice.

You, my dear friend,
Have made some tough decisions,
Particularly with relationships,
You’ve made some excisions.

The right man,
Has yet to show up,
We know he’s out there,
Despite not having much luck.

Sometimes when I feel panicked,
That our time is running out,
I think about you,
And I lose my doubts.

For you, the wait is worth it,
And loneliness is a beast that I can handle,
And when our sweet child is here,
It’s important that I lived to be a good example.

So a few last words,
Before I go:
I’ll try to remember sunscreen,
And to lay off the Diet Coke.

Life is short,
Life is sweet,
Tomorrow isn’t,
Guaranteed.

Live big, love big,
Bigger than yourself,
You always have Love,
Even if you have nothing else.

© Regina Mast 2016