Life is Short
Life is Short
Whoever coined that phrase just wasn’t ready to die, that’s all. Assuming a person doesn’t have a fatal accident while drinking and driving or gets hit by someone drinking and driving, it isn’t that short. I’m also ruling out diseases and freak accidents, like walking down the street and by not looking where you’re going, you hit a mail box just right and break your neck and die instantly, you know freak accidents.
Ads far as I can remember it took about 38 years to turn 21. Every summer seemed to go on forever. Winters would never end. Fall was for returning to school. And spring was for falling in love. These four seasons were long and laden with activities.
I loved summers the most, in spite of the sweat running down my sides under my arms. The air was soft on the skin, and June bugs smacked against the siding of the house. Fourth of July weekend was for lighting fire crackers, eating hamburgers and chips, and swimming at the local pool. The smell of suntan lotion filled the air, along with popcorn and cotton candy. Girls giggled when you talked to them and guys got into fights.
Things picked up a lot after 21 but still it took forever to turn a year older. Not long after there was kids, lawns, mortgages, utilities, savings, doctor bills, car repairs, bosses, school clothes, vacations; you know, the stuff life is made of.
Then the kids move out and back in and out again, then back in. This goes on for 10 -20 years, before you know it, you’re older. It’s easy to tell when this happens. You’re looking in the mirror and notice that the skin is sagging down your face and the first thing you say is, “what an old face.” You pull the skin taunt, but it slops back into bags and deep creases.
Grandkids come along and you try to act your age. A little grace and wisdom is called for, but you feel you’re still much younger. You can’t carry the grandkids very far. Your back goes out and you can’t carry them at all. Food gets stuck under your dentures. You grunt when you stand up straight. Sitting is easier than standing.
By now you feel you’ve seen and done a million things, know a million people, been in a million situations, made a million mistakes, laughed a million times, cried a million tears, told a million lies I mean stories, given advice to a million people, and yet you’re still alive. When does this train come to a stop. I’m getting tired. If I said it once I’ve said it a million times, “Life is Short.”
