A FULL CYCLE OF LIFE

When I was born long ago when doctors made house calls, and hospital costs seemed lower than today. I came into the world, needing everything to survive from my mother from my mother. I needed bathing, diaper changes, clothing, milk, and love daily, which my mother gave from her heart. Only a mother can provide the required love of an infant. In almost one year, I needed a baby walker so I could learn to walk better and strengthen my little legs. I still needed to be bathed, diaper changes, bigger clothes, and solid food, and lots more love. Which my mother always gave me from her heart. My mother was still there when I was hungry or sick.

My childhood was great with my friends on my street, playing army in the fields, baseball in any parking lot we could find, playing hide and seek, street football, and SPUD. We all got along so well. The memories will live until all of us leave this planet. I never felt time would move so fast or growing old would catch up with me as soon as it did. We all grew up, finished schooling, found jobs, and some of us moved away to local areas, others clear across the country. Some started families. A few went to jail, and one died, while others became very successful. We all lost track of each other except a couple still maintained contact. Everyone moved around so fast that trying to locate them seems impossible. Not knowing if they are still living, homeless or millionaires.

All my neighborhood friends of long ago are getting older, but remembering what we did as kids, with our memories, old pictures if we were lucky enough to have pictures. now I receive bad news of their passing from other friends or relatives or read obituaries from time to time. Cancer mainly is taking my friends of long ago. At times I can remember the smell of the fresh air from summers past and feel the cool breezes that touched my face after a cooling thunderstorm; those memories make me miss my past and my friends. I remember collecting pop bottles, selling Kool Aid, buying baseball cards, and penny candy, mowing lawns, playing baseball in parking lots or football in the streets and having to be home when the streetlights came on.

Before I knew it the cycle of life has come full circle, I am now very old. I need bathing, and yes, diaper changes, clean cloths, soft food, or milk. I need a wheelchair, walker, or cane to get around, and legs are weaker now, but I still need love daily more than ever. Life has come full circle for me. Now I am waiting for God to take me home to see all my family friends and neighbors of old, I can’t wait to see my friends and talk about our great childhood times together. Now I can only wish I could take long walks, run, jump, play baseball, go hiking, swim, go fishing, be able to have clear vision and taste the flavors of food, I remember putting my socks on and get dressed by myself. All these things you take for granted are now gone. It is so sad to know that I will never in my life will I be able to do them again. Now I am a burden on others, I never wanted that to happen I was always so independent. If I can give some advice, I would tell you to eat well, exercise, get a good physical from time to time, get plenty of sleep and talk to God to keep you healthy.