"You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing." ~Michael Pritchard

"A Badly Written Third Act"

I met Gregg Sanderson decades ago when I purchased sales–automation software from his company, Breakthrough Productions. He's a captivating man: entrepreneur, programmer, software designer, actor, poet, musician, intellectual, iconoclast, and wit. Voltaire wrote, "God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." If anyone sees human behavior—including his own—as the stuff of comedy, it's Gregg.

He recently contacted me to say he would soon be visiting San Francisco, ask how I was doing, and so on. I replied that my health had not been too marvelous. He responded by sending me the following poem. I now read it daily; I'll never kvetch again. Enjoy!

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Too Young To Be Old
By Gregg Sanderson

Once you get a little older
The fire of ambition starts to smolder.
Home Saturday nights I'm just plain lazy,
But in years gone by, I'd be going crazy.

Relationships are always fun
And I've enjoyed most every one.
Cute women still make my fantasies bubble
But to do anything about it is so much trouble.

I like parties when I'm invited
But I hope the hostess won't feel slighted
If I depart at half past ten
After snoozing on her couch 'til then.

Wisdom comes with age, we've known.
But sometimes age just comes alone.
That you have been here many years
Just means you've been here many years.

What to do as age creeps up
When in your mind, you're still a pup?
I've come up with some "don't's" and "do's"
And some friendly hints we all can use.

There are some things to never say
Like "Things were better in my day."
Or "When you get to be as old as I…"
Or "If asked my age, I never lie."

When you hum a tune, be sure it's recent
And don't call teen-age dress indecent.
Don't pretend to be a sage
With a line that starts, "When I was your age…"

I'm glad you recovered from your last disease.
But kindly spare us the details, please.
For when you dwell on your debility
I wonder if you've reached senility.

Cause nobody consternation
By telling of your operation
And if it's to happen in the future
Remember, don't display your suture.

Put some color in your hair.
Don't grunt when you rise from a chair.
If you take a hot young date to dinner
The senior menu's NOT a winner.

You'll hate it when she calls you "sir"
When your mind has other thoughts of her.
But one thing I know you'll really hate;
That cute young thing is forty-eight.

There's snow on the mountain but heat in the valley
Use it or lose it. Now, don't dilly-dally.
And wouldn't it be really nice
If I could take my own advice!

When you smile, the years fall away
And it makes it easier to live today.
So don't let another day go by
Without a twinkle in your eye.

Even though your years may be golden
To yourself you're still beholden.
So live today as if it's your last.
It might be.

© 2007 Gregg Sanderson