The old man walks, slowly, with a wobble. He is thin and frail.

He sometimes falls asleep, mid-thought.
He says things in answer

to questions asked long ago.

The old man is grumpy and impatient.

He often roars at the world

and snaps at those closest to him.

Do they not see?

This old man was young, like they are.

He was strong, stronger than most of them.

Do they not know?
he has worked hard at mutiple jobs,

and became a nurse who saved many lives.

There dances a young ballerina who,

when she was five

was crushed by a tree after a hurricane.

All of her insides were out on the ground,

but he saved her.
And now she is over twenty.

He has built beautiful furniture

with his own two hands.

He has always repaired things himself.

He has built gardens

and raised poultry

and produced more food than his family could eat.

He has titles and accomplishments.

He won medals in track

And The Silver Gloves.

This old man has thoughts

and still dreams of a life

where everyone he loves

is happy and fulfilled.

The old man who walks slowly with a wobble

is not so very old.

He tries to get back to his health

though the obstacles continue to arise.

He wants to be full of life.

He wants to be afforded dignity.

Though he snaps and growls

it is from pain, and anger

at the loss of his strength,

and frustration of knowing that

no one is safe from the very same fate.

Cancer does not discriminate.

The old man who walks with a wobble

may be stubborn.

His decisions are up for debate,

but in his mind he believes

his choices are correct and made with integrity.

Save a prayer for this grouchy old man

who walks with a wobble,

for like you, he tries to live each day

to his best potential.

And, like you, he would give anything,

not to have that wobble.

Lynn Deering 1954-2020