We all have a Beginning and an End

.. and an Inner Child full of Piss and Vinegar

When I was about eight years old, we kids were visiting Grandma and Grampa for a weekend. After a day of ice skating on the river, we came in for hot showers, ate our supper, and we were watching a show on TV before bedtime.  We were all exhausted and Tim and Claudia had already fallen asleep on the couch.

Grampa was busy building a fire in the fireplace. I loved that homey smell and watching the fire’s fingers as they came from below to caress the larger logs above.  Grandma was in her chair knitting and she and Grampa were talking about what we would do tomorrow.  Grampa told her we kids wanted to go skating again. 

I listened to the comforting clicking sound of Grandma’s knitting needles, as she and Grampa talked. I remember really looking at my grandmother.  Mama looked just like a younger version of her, but I think it was the first time I noticed, Grandma was getting old.  Her skin was still soft, but now it was freckled and getting wrinkly and her hair wasn’t dark brown anymore.

I adored my grandmother.  Besides my parents, she was one of my favorite people in the whole world.  Grandma knew so many things and her answers to my questions were full of wisdom.  It frightened me to think I would ever lose her.

Grandma saw me staring and asked what I was thinking about.  I told her I didn’t want her, or Grampa to get old.  I didn’t want them to die.

Grandma said people were designed to have a beginning and an end.  It’s what we all agreed to when we decided to be in this lifetime.  She told me what I should be thinking about is what’s on the inside, not about how the outsides are changing. 

Inside all of us is an inner child who never gets old. They love to have fun, and they just want an invitation to come out and play.

I’ve thought about that conversation a lot over the years. I still think about it even now on the rare times I’m with my grandchildren.  I wonder if they see my changes and wonder the same things. 

I think that’s one more reason I write poetry for children … my inner child has always been so full of piss and vinegar. More importantly, she’s also inquisitive and wise and I’d like to keep her that way.

She may want to answer questions from my grandchildren and play while I can still have fun ...

Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018.
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