I happened to notice…one day,
That some of his feathers were grey;
No longer smooth, shining and black,
Some of them stuck-out in the strangest way.

Yes, his feathers were beginning to thin,
Much as my own hair…on top;
Just as I had slowed-down,
OLD PETEY could no longer go…non-stop!

I never expected to see the day,
When his appearance would change;
So young…so viral he had been,
What had happened…and why the big change?

It seems like we’re forever young,
Until…we wake up one day…old;
This happens quite without warning,
Why weren’t we simply told?!

I guess old-age just happens,
It really comes unannounced;
Oh, there were a few ‘clues’ along the way,
Like when our step lost its bounce!

But, who was paying attention,
I know that I was not;
Old-age isn’t for sissies,
‘Tis something we all should boycott!

But, alas…we cannot,
It sneaks-up on us…come what may;
One day…we’re young and spirited,
Then…BANG!…flat on our backs we lay!

If we could only grow old…gracefully,
Now, that is our heart’s desire;
Please don’t let everyone see,
That our tiny spark is no longer a roaring fire!

But, everybody already knows,
It’s almost as if we were the last;
Time marches on…without us,
Nothing is forever…everything shall pass.

The day that I saw OLD PETEY,
When I saw him as he really is;
I noticed that I had grown older too,
Then, I knew just how fast times rushes.

I think it caught up with me that day,
Because…now I move much more slowly;
To savor each moment is important,
I approach life more peacefully…more gently.

Yes, OLD PETEY taught me many things,
A lifetime of things…indeed;
But, one of the most important is,
To slow down…there’s no need to speed!

October 30, 2004

Aimee Love
(LHG)