Time

Just a little something I jotted down here. Had lunch with my father today and the topic came around to my ailing grandmother. She's slipping quickly into full dementia and is experiencing other physical problems as well. The family is stuck in a difficult position. We must decide whether to wait for a care home to open up ( it could take up to a year) or we may be forced to hospitalize her. My thoughts of hospitalization vs a car home are rather neutral. I'll admit I didn't know my grandmother well, and now she doesn't recognize me. I just want the best to be done for her condition.

"It's just a matter of time" my father says.

And that word struck with me. Time..it's always falling away. The hourglass of life. I look at my father and I can see he is aging. Soon he will succumb to time. And soon I will succumb to time. I know these aren't exactly the best holiday thoughts. But life is still a beautiful thing. We just need to be aware we only get a small slice of it. I feel people walk around treating eachother like we'll be here forever. A certain amount of self-awareness of our own demise should humble us. No matter where we are in life. No matter our social class or financial position..we are all mortal beings.

And time serves many other purposes. We learn from time. Time heals us. Time is everything we know from when we rise in the morning and fall in the evening.

Time shows in lines on my fathers face
The handshakes tight
The hugs sentinmental

Time comes with old faces
Passing by in the wind
Old regret hanging out at the cornerstore

Time is always one step ahead of us
Or two steps behind
Time is an elusive character

Time takes the form of wounds
Healing over,
Only to re-open and fester

Time can seem slow in despair
And quicken sharply
In the warmth of an embrace

Time is growth
As we wear out old jackets
And smooth the creases on a new attitude