Ode To Youth

Youth is not all it’s made out to be.

We are taught to cherish it above all else,

Conditioned to think it is the best thing there is,

Our most valuable asset,

And yet, youth is void of real substance.

True substance can never be lost,

And only comes from the experience

Of a life well-lived,

A life full of deep and rich experience, 

Good and bad, light and dark,

It’s all grist for the mill.

We try so hard to hold on to our youth.

When it begins to fall away, 

We try to hang on for dear life,

But the best we can do is to graciously bid it adieu,

And open ourselves to the gifts granted to us in exchange.

Aging comes bearing the most magnificent gifts,

The kind you don’t receive until you have earned them,

Fair and square.

Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, acceptance, and power.

The trade-off is well-worth the wait.