Sixteen

I wake in the morning and look in the mirror,
who is this person I see?
It seems like only yesterday I was twenty-four,
and the day before that I was sixteen.
Where did that person go?

I remember talking to my dad at sixteen,
he said he was still sixteen inside.
I thought how could that be,
he is an adult,
he moved in special worlds and knew people and went places,
how could he still be sixteen inside?

I look inward and see myself and there she is,
that sixteen year old who looked forward
while discovering the great mysteries of life,
leaping and jumping, laughing with friends,
passionate about the issues of the day,
oh what a time it was to be sixteen!

Now I sit where my father sat.
His chair is mine now.
I look back and see it did not work out as I planned.
Does it ever?
Did it for him, really?
I look back and there is sadness,
tasks left unfinished,
goals that fell by the wayside,
they say life is what happens while you are busy planning.

So some remorse, but life is good.
I have my love, my true love for my life.
I have my music, books and history, and yes they do protect me.
There are also the things I do not discuss,
but they bring me happiness nonetheless.
No matter what happens,
I will always have that sixteen year old in my heart,
looking to the future.

© JACM 6 June 2009