Moment in Time

"Before bed tonight, Ashby and I were chatting about living a long time, and how she'll be old like me when she has kids, and I'll be the 'papa' to her kids. Then she said, as she almost started crying, 'I hope papa and grandma kooky never die!'

My son related this poignant repartee to my wife and me, and we were truly moved. Ashby is a lovely and precocious child, and astonishes us with her grasp of complicated concepts. In all honesty, growing old is disconcerting to say the least. The balance between the mind and the physical body has tipped in the wrong direction. Once, I thought therefore I could do, but all has changed. Doing takes calculation, even after you THINK, no problem I can do that. The reality of deterioration, however daunting, always seems trivial and insignificant, when embraced by the unconditional love of the little ones. Their innocence and sharing is not prejudiced by age or gender, old people are just fine with them. My problems, drift away when I'm in their virtuous presence.