Family Vacation Poem by Jim Yerman

It's true when you retire your life slows down a bit…you walk where you once use to run.
Your family is raised…your job is complete…you're not racing to get everything done.

You find you follow a different routine…without schedules, agendas or lists…
and those things you don't want to do anymore…you find them quite easy to resist….

Then you go on a family vacation…and you look at your family who…
you suddenly come to the realize…is so very much younger than you.

But you're determined to keep up with these young whippersnappers
to show them at 65…you're still young…
so you feed a huge Bison right from your hand
and feel the slime of a Watusi's tongue.

And you slide down a rock, yes a rock! on your butt…into water that is ever so cold
and you slide down again and again and again…to show yourself you're not getting old.

And you jump from a boat and swim in a lake…and, with the young ones, you frolic and float
and you even ride together holding your wife…on a tube that's attached to a boat…

You do this and everything else they request…as a father and a granddad….
keeping up with the young ones as best as you can
while using muscles you forgot that you had…

And though your bones are making noises you hadn't heard before
and just about every part of you is sore…
when you're grandchildren ask you to throw the frisbee with them…
you agree quickly…urging your body to do more….

Because there are only so many moments on any vacation…
so many moments you don't want to miss…
so you smile and you wince as you toss that frisbee around….
knowing life doesn't get any better than this.

Knowing once these moments are gone you won't get them back…
So you slide and you feel the slime of a tongue
And you jump in a lake and play Frisbee with your grandchildren…
knowing it's moment's like these that are keeping you young.