Time, it moves like a fleeting breeze,  
Quietly stealing the years with ease.  
It seems just yesterday, I was young,  
With dreams of life, just begun.  

I was newlywed, with hope in my heart,  
A future to build, a life to start.  
But now, it feels like eons away,  
And I wonder how I got to today.  

I know I lived each moment, each year,  
Yet somehow, winter caught me here.  
Where did my youth, my strength all go?  
How did I age before I could know?

I saw the old folks in my past,  
Thinking their winter would never last.  
But now, I see it’s come for me,  
A season I never thought I'd see.

My friends are grey, and moving slow,  
We are the elders now, this I know.  
The vibrant faces I used to see,  
Are marked by time, just like me.

The days grow long, the tasks grow small,  
A shower now seems like a mountain tall.  
And naps, they’re no longer a simple delight,  
But a necessity before the night.

And yet, though winter’s chill is here,  
There’s something I hold near and dear.  
For when this season’s end is due,  
A new adventure will ensue.

Regrets, I have, both big and small,  
For things I didn’t do at all.  
But joy and love have filled my days,  
In countless, beautiful, quiet ways.

So if you’re not yet in your coldest year,  
Live with passion, free of fear.  
Do what you love, don’t delay,  
For winter may come any day.

Life is a gift, this much is true,  
And your life’s gift will shine through you.  
Scatter joy, not wealth or fame,  
For love and laughter win the game.

And as I enter this final stage,  
I smile at the wisdom of age.  
For old friends, old songs, and memories sweet,  
Are the treasures that make life complete.

So live it well, and live it bright,  
For winter may come with morning light.  
But even in its quiet cold,  
A life well-lived is purest gold.

Created by
MarkWaldrop