(As I look in the mirror and find that time is having its way with me, I am more aware than ever of the wisdom that comes with age and a life of experience, as our “outward appearance” fades. I am more and more drawn to the wisdom that came before me in the form of character marked faces and bent frames. This is for the precious souls that have so very much to share with us if we will just take the time to listen and savor their stories.)
My pages are wrinkled, the edges are curled
The wear on my spine shows my time in this world.
My cover is bent, my title erased
My story, now old, will soon be replaced.
But if you would just listen, just look deep inside
You’d read this aged book, not cast me aside.
Take in every word, dust it off, let it shine.
If only you’d read between all these lines.
History lives in the now yellowed print
Stories and poems between dust and lint.
Tales of love, both lost and won
Tragedies, many. Victories, some.
Wisdom resides with every page turned
Columns of advice from hard lessons learned.
So, please, come and listen. Look deep inside
Study this book, don’t cast it aside.
Take in every word, dust it off, let it shine.
If only you’d read between all these lines.
My time is soon coming, I’ll return to the shelf
A once vibrant saga now left to myself.
Will my story live on? Will you tell it for me?
When I’m long gone, will you help me still be?
When this book closes I hope you’ll have known
That my words had some meaning in these syllables sown.
Because you came and listened. You looked deep inside
You studied this book, didn’t cast it aside.
Took in every word, wiped it off, let it shine.
You took time to read between all these lines.
2 Corinthians 4:16 – Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
