LIFE'S LESSONS

 

When I was young, I was ambitious,
I was exposed to many things,
I was filled with dreams and wishes,
I wanted some of everything.

 

When I became a certain age,
I packed my things, and I left home,
Naive and young, but unafraid,
Though all alone and on my own.

 

No way could I have been aware
Of what a challenge life could be,
So I was not at all prepared
For what confronted me.

 

Options, choices, big decisions,
So much for one young mind,
But heads-or-tails or intuition
Solved all my problems at that time.

 

Youth, of course, is wonderful,
Too bad it's wasted on the young,
For them, all life is beautiful,
And nothing bad lasts very long.

 

The first lesson that I learned
Was, "There're more lessons yet to go,"
And I remember how I squirmed
At the words, "I told you so."

 

Kicked in the pants an awful lot,
And humbled many times,
I cannot count the knocks I got,
Nor the hills I had to climb.

 

Eventually I found my place,
Or else my place found me.
Adulthood, I then embraced,
And gone forever, youthful sprees.

 

In a way, I miss those days,
When struggling was my thing,
Every time I found my way,
It made my young heart sing.

 

I kind of miss those frantic tests,
And those challenges and dares,
When each small win was a huge success,
And defeats were brief nightmares.

 

Mature now and responsible,
I'm a pillar of society,
Wise now and dependable,
The picture of propriety.

 

It was great to be ambitious,
And exciting to be young,
But I no longer wish those wishes,
And those youthful days are done.

 

If I could, would I go back?
I'm not too sure I would,
It often hurt when I got smacked,
Though, I suppose, it did me good.

 

I have some regrets for things I've done,
And a few for things I've not,
I think I've had a pretty good run,
 But ... what about God's thoughts?

 

Virginia (Ginny) Ellis
Copyright July 2004 ~ January 2008