Life: glass half full version.

You’re young

and the thing under the bed is real.

But floating on the downstairs-murmur

of grownup voices

you drift into sleep, safe.

You’re not popular but you have

this one friend

who isn’t popular either but

as long as you are not popular together

who cares?

You heard there’s a boy who might like you.

At least he’s thinking about it.

Plus Christmas is coming

and maybe this year

you’ll probably,

definitely

get a dog.

***

Grown up at last,

you’re dropped off at college.

You cram, pull all-nighters,

put on that funny flat black hat,

land your first real job,

earn not much, but the check has

your name on it.

You fall in love, marry, have babies,

blindsided at every turn by

joy,

***

How long has this thing called a career

been going on?

Forty years…it seems like just yesterday.

You’re going to miss these folks.

The inside jokes, the shared misery of

staff meetings.

But you have grandkids now and

a garden that hasn’t been weeded since

the Carter administration.

A bench to sit on.

A sun to sit under.

A star to watch rise over

your neighbor’s

garage.

***

Although nothing works

the way it used to

you thank this good old body

that let you run, laugh, love and eat pizza.

Time for you to take care of it now,

move with care,

not fall so hard you can’t get up,

tell your stories, teach a few lessons,

let gratitude fill every breath

as you practice good-bye.

***

Time to let go.

That bend in the river that

seemed so distant

is just ahead.

All those things obscured by

the dense growth of trees called life

are coming into view.

Dead but not gone

you lean forward.

The wind of all that has been

at your back.

Note: To enjoy the crankier, half empty view of life read the previous post.