As a young girl I didn’t think much about senior citizens

Although they were present everywhere

I assumed they would always be close by me

Sitting on porches, saying:  “please” and “thank you”

Peering out of windows, exchanging greetings and pleasantries

Patiently teaching, correcting, sharing advice and warnings

Encouraging, hugging and kissing

Giving small, but much appreciated treats

Clapping hands, and tapping feet and snapping fingers  to rhymes and beats

Speaking in parables, offering brutally frank and often unsolicited; but much needed criticism

Observing, and understanding

Constantly playing the radio or television

Relaxing, napping, yet keenly aware

Bowed and hunch-back

Slow moving

Hard of hearing

Straining to see

In contrast, today’s seniors are

Biking, jogging and walking

Mingling, serving and networking

Driving, riding and flying

Today’s seniors look back reminiscently

They look forward anxiously and expectedly

They create, dream and influence

They are engaging, enjoying, erasing and expanding

They face the future fearlessly

They reconcile with their past

They reflect on the past and refresh themselves

They revive old careers or begin new ones

They are seemingly always  in some kind of recovery

They are tireless, restless and constantly moving

The seniors I see now include me!