The Quiet Gifts of Growing Older
In my prime years,
I was strong and fast,
vibrant, full of energy,
and naturally, far better looking
than my future self in his fifties. ;)
But I was also often lost and afraid,
short-sighted and impatient,
self-centred and stubborn,
yet always seeking approval—
seeing myself through the eyes of others.
When I was young,
awe and gratitude in nature
rarely found their way into my heart.
Only now, do I recognize
this mysterious feeling—
when I run toward the eastern sky
at daybreak, quietly unfolding
into a thousand shades,
like a daytime aurora,
when the ice-capped mountains
seem closer beneath a crisp blue sky,
and when I meet the year’s first bloom in cold air.
This is awe.
Growing older has its own perks.
I no longer miss my youth.
I welcome my middle-aged years
with open arms, finally learning
how to see,
to feel,
to appreciate,
and to love—
in awe.