When old seadogs remember their life over a beer

With others like themselves that they hold dear

Stories are told with shining eyes and held breath

About perils at sea with ghost ships and near-death.

They were always blurry and not clear to see, but just

As they were starting to board and take over their ship

Their wives would wake them up with a sharp slap on the hip.

Stop yelling and fighting, you old fool, they would always say

So much for adventures at sea, that is all for today 

Everyone pays for their beer, and shakes hands 

And walks away, but it is ok 

There’s more adventure

Another day.

JUST HANDLE IT

When changes in my world disrupted my normal routine, over which I had little to no control, I became irritable and didn’t like where I was in my life. I try hard not to let that happen. It is controlled by my attitude and acceptance of what is happening in my life at the time.

My father told me that life will get harder, but it’s just a matter of handling it. Handling it is hard because you must decide between what you want and what you need. Often, they conflict with each other, and you must choose between them.

Most of my life, want has been my guide. I find that what I need starts taking over as I continue down my path and slow down. When need becomes your guide, you may find yourself doing things that you don’t want to do but have no choice. They say that growing old is not for sissies, but getting old will make you one. We can’t stop growing old, but we can work hard not to get old and become a sissy. Keep moving forward. Be aware that slowing down is much better than stopping.