One day,
Maybe many years from now,
They may call me an elder,
They may call me old,
They may call me less than I was,
Maybe,
If I am blessed to live that long.
One day,
Maybe many years from now,
I may be less than I was,
From a life that I have been blessed to live,
But that may have been filled with challenge,
Challenges to my mind that has so faithfully helped me see the possible in my life ahead,
A mind that has asked so many questions,
That has provided so many answers,
And dreamed so many dreams,
Challenges to my body that has walked me down the path I have chosen,
That has held together through wellness and illness,
And that has tended to so many others,
Many from their very first step down their own paths,
Challenges to my heart that has filled me with the life that courses through me while showing me how to live with compassion,
The open heart that has helped me know the joy in the love of myself and the love I have known for and from others,
And the grieving heart that has made me feel as though my own life has ended,
As it has filled me with sorrow for the loss of loved ones that I have grown to cherish.
Maybe many years from now,
They may call me an elder,
They may call me old,
Less than I was,
Or maybe,
If I am blessed to live that long,
They may see that my mind blessed me with a sense of possibility,
That sense which they now seek for themselves as well.
They may see that the questions I answered which defined the choices I made are now the questions they seek to inform their choices as well.
They may see that the dreams I dreamt kept my spirit alive,
And they may now wonder how I did that.
Maybe they may see that the life that has been hard on my body and that has walked me down my path in this life needs their help now,
Even as they walk down their own.
Maybe they will see that I cherish my wellness the very same as they do theirs,
And that my illness needs the same loving care and support as theirs does.
Maybe I will feel their compassion,
The compassion I have taught them by example.
Maybe they will have learned to love from looking at the love that I have had for myself and for others in my life.
Maybe they will feel as though a part of them has died when I reach the end of my travels down this road I have taken.
Maybe many years from now they may call me an elder,
And as they dream their dreams,
Walk their dogs,
Live their lives with compassion,
Feel the joy in their new beginnings and the sorrow in their losses.
Maybe they will see me in themselves and cherish the example I have given them.
And so I pray for the elders as I pray for myself,
Because we are,
All of us,
Just walking each other home.
Amen.
And I pray for the elders as I pray for myself,
Because we are,
All of us,
Just walking You You You You You You
