when I get old

When I get old I wanna have wrinkles,

On my four head, and lining the corner points of my lips.

To prove to this world that I have a strong smile and a crippled frown.

Because on the days that were sad, my smile took that as a challenge, and lifted and pulled, and pushed until it literally turned my frown upside down.

I wanna have fingernails that are cracked, and permanently have a little bits of dirt in them, to prove that I spent and entire life in daily work.

I want hands that shake a little, because they made a record of all the times I faced my fears, and was scared to death, but couldn't show it, so they decided now to make up for lost time.

I want a receding hair line, and the color of it to be white,

To show the times, that I stressed and worried and been seriously concerned about those I love

I want sore knees and a bowed back, from all the nights and early morning spent,  getting to know the God who gave me life.

I want feet that people don't want to touch.

Because they are like the a little boys favorite shirt, worn, tired, stained, and ugly, but like that little boy, I love them all the same.

I want to get emotional, have trouble watching sad movies, or my grand daughter as she plays at her piano recital because I cant do it without crying, this life, which makes some men hard, has slowly almost unnoticeably made my heart softer. But I’ll still be embarrassed at my tears.

Now days, everyone wants to stay young, this doesn't make much sense to me? Maybe its because I am young. People today try to make naturally growing old, seem somehow un-natural? Growing old is not something to be ashamed of, it's a beautiful thing, I only hope I will be able to do with same elegance that I have seen done.

And lastly I want clear eyes, ones that seem to catch the light just right, and show their depth more often then not.  I want eye’s, that prove that I lived, but that also are more pure when I leave, then when I got here.

When I get old, I wanna have wrinkles.