Once I was a grammar school Girl Scout

And we sang Christmas carols at the local nursing home.

An old lady cried deeply and silently into a lace hankie.

I watched her disgustedly and thought she should be grateful to have some young people to sing to her.

Years later,

After losing too many never-to-be-replaced loved ones, both people and animals,

Then surviving the rough waters of living the consequences of the choices I made:

A failed marriage and several career mistakes,

The way Time sneaks up on us all

The way the days now go by so much faster than they used to—

I now know why the old lady cried.