On Turning Sixty

I am not old.
But I can see old
there on the horizon.
Which has always been true,
I suppose.
Its just that now,
I don’t need binoculars.

Like most change,
this aging thing
is not my choice.
I’m more than a little afraid
of facing its losses and limitations.
But it is where this journey leads
whether I like it or not.

It is a brand new frontier,
nothing like,
and yet a culmination of,
all the years before.
So I am trying to be prepared.

I’ve been watching
those ahead of me,
trying to learn
the ups and downs,
the do’s and don’ts.

I’ve packed my bag
with everything
I think I might need-
an active mind,
a grateful heart,
healthy sustenance
and as strong a body
as I can muster.

Inside,
my spirit is ever the same.
I am still
every single version of myself
that I have ever been.
That is some pretty rich ground
on which to walk.

So, I will take it as it comes,
savoring the beauty,
bearing up for the challenges
and, as always,
taking notes along the way.

By Maria Brady-Smith
Photo by Mike Smith