When examining, reviewing, gauging your life,

be sure to reflect on yourself with great truth.

This hard, cold honesty can bring about strife

because life’s a fast game that seems to favor youth.

Is it true? Can it be? It won’t happen to me!

Are just some of the words often muttered,

when we realize the dreams we had are now nothing but clutter.

Do I speak from experience? I don’t know, you tell me.

My old friends, how is life after forty?

My younger years offered hope, dreams and expectation

while now this logical life seems more like an equation.

Want that? Do this. Save here to add more.

Everything worth having creates some mental war.

I am now much wiser and yes, I can say, more comfortable in my own skin.

However, I question and doubt and return to

the method I’ve used herein.

Would I change it? Of course not, except maybe once.

The path I walked offered little resistance.

Let’s make it full circle – that seems about right.

When I look back and study the ways of my days,

will I take comfort in knowing that I held their gaze?

Could regret be the currency I’ll have to pay?

Or will peace and comfort find me in life’s final phase?