Vanity

I used to have a deep fear of growing old

For reasons both vain and existential.

Moisturizers, creams,

Scary dreams.

As the seasons change, so do I.

My body, my mind, and my soul,

All subjected to the spinning of the earth.

I am so young, 

But I won’t be forever.

I can tear myself apart, as I’ve done many times

Or I can spin with the earth,

Twirling, dancing, spinning.

Sometimes I will fall down,

Scrapes on my knees adding to the marks on my body

Bits and pieces to analyze and criticize

But I twirled, i danced, and I sang.

The earth will turn anyways.

Year after year my body and mind will change

Sometimes that is okay

I saw an old lady in the park,

Holding hands with a lover and feeding a squirrel, smile big, heart even bigger

(Really, i could see it!)

I wanted to run to her

I wonder how she feels about the turning of the earth?

I am so young,

And perhaps I will be forever.