I have been young, a fresh faced sprout, with agile legs, a muscled arm and smile to charm the world I went through in a rush to get a little older, sooner.

Catching my reflection while passing past a looking glass not long ago I discovered I was older, even old. There was no sudden melancholy or regret, and yet some sadness in the wonder that it happened while I wasnt watching, No pause to proudly ply the autumn into winter process. Imagine. Nothing changed. I run as fast. I think a little faster and yet forget at times what I went after there as I left here to get it. This while crossing half a room not half a lifetime.

So Ive been young and Ive been old and have determined old is better.

Youth unfolds like coy Cleopatra from a rug spilling all its golden wonders at the foot of age who seems to envy everything, especially spring. The young pledge anything to get an audience. Delivering sometimes, most times not, on their way before the promissory note comes due. Can you blame them as they hurry off, afraid another runner may beat them to The Score ahead leaving nothing to be scored?

Age is oft times bitter, feeling in its failing health that wealth of life eluded it. Apologize somebody or some thing for leaving me to find the way I never found or could not find because it was not there or never was.

But having seen the surge of youth, the sag of age in breast and chest and everything, I still say spring is overrated. Age is better. Less is expected of the once firm chest that drags a little lower, the robust voice reduced to murmur speaking slower.

Age can finally say aloud what it really feels and thinks in after dinner company or crowd. No one blinks. If they do, no matter. Age erases pretence; replacing it with honesty.

Age is proof you got from there to here. Alas so many that you loved did not complete the journey. You mourn them, yes, and always will, but age is such a triumph over youth, again, because you moved across the years to here. Leaving there where it belongs for youth to come along and re-for youth to come along and re-discover.

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), August 30, 2000

Answers

Aunt Bee:

GREAT Post, (sumer humbly curtsies before you), age erases pretence, so true in most of us.

You know I appreciate you and your emails also. You are truly one of a kind. Thanks and YOU GO GIRL.....

Come on, lets dance!!!

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), August 30, 2000.

One word trudged heavily into my consciousness while reading this piece - endurance.

I must say I had great difficulty with the rhythym of his prose. Thank you for posting it, AB. Can you attribute it to a particular article or book?

-- Bingo1 (howe9@shentel.net), August 30, 2000.

My breasts are not sagging!

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), August 30, 2000.