As another graduation rolls around, I thought I would pull out the old creative writing skills and tinker around a little.

Epic of a Lifetime

H  APPY SCHOOL KIDS FREED FROM THE CONFINES OF CLASSROOMS AND EARLY ALARM CLOCKS.
A  NOTHER YEAR UNDER THEIR BELTS AND ONE YEAR CLOSER TO FREEDOM, a.k.a GRADUATION.
Z  IPPING AROUND WITH A CAR FULL OF FRIENDS AT THE BEACH ,JUST ENJOYING BEING
Y  OUNG, AND FREE AND FULL OF LIFE.

S  UN COMES UP SO EARLY, STAYS UP LATE.
U  LTIMATELY WE FOLLOW THE PATTERN OURSELVES
M  OONLIGHT IS JUST AS GOOD AS SUNLIGHT IN THE SUMMER, WHEN
M  EMORIES are made LOUNGING LETHARGIC BY THE POOL CHATTING ABOUT FUTURE PLANS.
E  CHOES OF CHILDHOOD STARTING TO FADE IN THE DISTANCE
R  EVELING IN THE GLOAMING BETWEEN THE DAY OF CHILDHOOD AND ALL THE OTHER

D  AYS THAT COME AFTER
A  LL THE FUTURE WIDE OPEN LIKE A NEW NOTEBOOK WHERE NOTHING’S BEEN WRITTEN YET.
Y  EARNING TOWARD UNKNOWN UNLIMITED DESTINY, WITH EVERYTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
S  IMPLY DREAMING AND IMAGINING

T  URNING OVER ALL THE POSSIBILITIES,
U  NABLE TO EVEN CONCEIVE OF DISAPPOINTMENT
R  USHING HEADLONG WITH ALL ABANDON
N  OTHING STANDING IN THE WAY.

T  HEN SUMMER ENDS
O  H THE BITTERSWEETNESS OF THAT PASSAGE

B UT LIFE GOES ON!
R OUTINE SOON TAKES HOLD AND ITS ANOTHER YEAR.
I  N IT’S OWN WAY, THE CYCLE IS COMFORTING AND WE THINK IT WILL NEVER CHANGE, BUT
S OONER THAN WE REALIZE WE ARE ATTENDING OUR TENTH OR TWENTIETH REUNION,
K IDS OF OUR OWN ARE ALREADY WELL ALONG THE SAME TRAJECTORY!

A  LWAYS, TIME KEEPS MOVING LIKE A RIVER
U  NTIL THE DAY FOR SOME LOVED ONE, IT STOPS.
T  O BECOME AN ADULT, SOME INNOCENCE IS LOST, BUT LOSING THAT ONE INTRODUCES A NEW,
U  TTERLY CRUEL DIMENSION OF THIS THING WE CALL LIFE AND SOME OF THE SHINE RUBS OFF
M  OSTLY WE KEEP GOING BECAUSE WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO, BUT SOMETIMES IT SEEMS WRONG T O DO SO NOW THAT THEY ARE GONE, THE WORLD HAS A LOT OF GALL STILL SPINNING ON LIKE
N OTHING HAS CHANGED
S TILL, TIME FLOWS LIKE A RIVER, GAINING VELOCITY AS THE WATERS RISE

A  ND IT’S NO LONGER QUITE EASY DOING THINGS, WHAT WITH THE TIDE AND ALL.
N  OW WE WATCH THE GRANDKIDS AND TRY TO RECALL WHAT ENERGY FELT LIKE.
D  OESN’T MAKE SENSE,  YOUTH  BEING WASTED ON THE YOUNG WHO CAN NEVER APPRECIATE IT!

T HANK THE GOOD LORD, THOUGH, FOR GETTING ME THIS FAR!
H  OW MANY MEMORIES I HAVE! (AND HOW MANY HAVE I PROBABLY FORGOTTEN?)
E  VEN AS MY BODY BETRAYS ME, I APPRECIATE THE YEARS IT SERVED ME WELL
N  OW IF I CAN JUST REMEMBER WHERE I LEFT MY TEETH

C  ERTAINLY I HAVE HAD A BLESSED LIFE
O  H THERE WERE HEARTACHES AND THERE WERE DISAPPOINTMENTS, BUT YOU KNOW
M  OSTLY IT WASN’T THAT BAD, AND IN THE END, I FARED BETTER THAN MANY.
E  VERY SUNRISE NOW IS JUST A BONUS
S  INCE I MOVED HERE TO THE HOME, THERE’S NOT THAT MANY I ACTUALLY GET TO SEE, BUT

W  HO AM I TO COMPLAIN? YES
I   HAVE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RUN, AND
N  OW I LAY HERE MOSTLY JUST WAITING, BUT EVEN A LITTLE OLD LADY LIKE ME HAS A
T  ASK AND PURPOSE, LONG AS THE GOOD LORD SEES FIT THAT I REMAIN.
E  VERY NURSE NEEDS SOMEONE PRAYING FOR HER EVEN IF SHE DOESN’T
R  EALIZE IT.  I STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE!