The older I get

The older I get
the richer and more fulfilled life becomes.
I can see more clearly the people
and things that matter most.
I finally understand that wealth is not measured in hefty bank balances
but the ability to balance time
for love, for friendship, and for the riches banked securely in the hearts of people you love and that love you.

The older I get
the more ambitious my dreams have become.
But thankfully, these days,
my ambitions are much more refined and mature.
I no longer care to compete with others or compare myself to them.
I much prefer to consummate my abiding dreams.

The older I get
the more joy I seem to uncover in silence.
I love spirited conversations that express themselves without words.
I relish the warmth of a shy hand finding mine,

the touch of a beautiful stare persuading my eyes to dream,
or just a nervous laugh whispering my name like a hug calling me home.

The older I get
the less I expect of others,
but the more I demand of myself.
Time has taught me that gold always glitters, but everything that glitters is not gold.
Thus, I am only
interested in creating and savouring golden moments together.

The older I get
the more treasures I extract from friendship.
I realise that expectations can sometimes be untidy; they shape shift, morph into unexpected joys, and even violate boundaries.
Hopefully, through patience,
I am a much better listener
who no longer fears the hush of silence or the solitary drumbeat of loneliness.

The older I get
the more I respect words.
I sip them like a cup of piping hot tea
and use them judiciously,
like breaths of fresh air.
I keep discovering that softness
does exist even in cold breezes
and can warm the heart.

The older I get
the more I crave sober, enduring moments alone with that special someone,
shoulders cuddling, hands kissing,
listening to the calm chatter of trees, sitting quietly on parked benches
sampling the soft hum of rivers,
and the flaccid whisper of birds.
I am forever keen to explore forbidden secrets and hidden gems.
And to steal time, take chances, and immortalise them in my heart.

The older I get
the less encumbered, I am by needs and wants because now I understand the difference.
Hence, I want to taste  rainbows and stop more often to relish
the delights of unexpected moments;
to kick off my shoes, play spoons with time, and just let the scents of closeness ripen my heart.

The older I get
the more I entertain my heart’s impatience, because it understands that my mind is just eager to savour every last moment,
knowing time is far too short.
I am so much more open-minded
about my many flaws,
which are not just foibles;
but subtle signposts explaining me
to myself.
They help me understand that pursuits of perfection are a fool’s errand.

The older I get
the harder it is to pretend
but the easier it is for my heart to smile, flutter, dream, and even cry.
It is brimming with beautiful memories.
It has found its voice…
jubilant, satisfied, and unafraid
to laugh out loud, to dance and sing, make a fool of itself, and even say fuddle duddle

and live on its own terms.