Three Scores Plus....

Why do people take the trouble,

To wish me well on this marked day?

Relatives near and those not so dear,

Chime in with words, clichéd and clear.

Is it pleasure they derive, I wonder,

From reminding me time's relentless thunder?

Three scores plus ten, they sing in glee,

As if age's tally defines the essence of me.

Yet here I stand, undimmed by years,

My spirit bright, my path clear.

Attitude ageless, energy untamed,

Enthusiasm for life forever inflamed.

Why the need to ask a child of two,

"How old are you?"—isn't it true,

That we should coin a word anew,

To express the essence of what we've been through.

For age is but a fleeting number,

A count of nights in peaceful slumber.

What of the storms we've weathered and braved?

What of the paths we've fearlessly paved?

Can we not speak of rainy seasons seen,

Of springtime blooms and winters keen?

Is there not more to life than years?

More than the sum of joys and tears?

They see my looks with envy green,

Jealous of the youth they glean.

But little do they know, or care,

Of the timeless soul residing there.

I feel as young as dawn's first light,

As vibrant as the stars at night.

My laughter rings as true and clear,

As it did in my earliest year.

So, let them wish and count away,

Let them mark this annual day.

For I know well the truth inside,

Of ageless joy and timeless pride.

Three score plus ten, yet still I dance,

With a youthful heart and boundless chance.

For age, my friend is just a name,

A fleeting shadow in life's grand game.

In every step, I feel the breeze,

In every breath, a life at ease.

In every smile, a heart that sings,

In every moment, the joy it brings.

So why not ask, "How bright do you shine?"

Instead of tallying the years that are mine?

How deep is your love? How wide is your heart?

How fiercely have you played your part?

For life is more than time's decree,

More than the years we count and see.

It's in the passion that we display,

In the dreams we chase, come what may.

So here’s to those who wish me well,

Who mark the years as stories to tell.

Know that each year is but a thread,

In the tapestry of the life I’ve led.

And as I journey through life's span,

I’ll cherish each moment, as best I can.

For Three score plus ten is just a start,

Of the endless youth within my heart.