Old Age Teaches Gratitude And Humility Poem by Shalom Freedman

Old age teaches gratitude and humility
We have seen friends suffer and die
We know people younger than us
Who are already gone-

Old age teaches us gratitude for our still being here
Appreciation for countless small abilities
Lost or desperately held on to -

If we can walk
It teaches gratitude for walking
If we can open with our ancient hands
A small bottle or can
All glory to our still mobile fingers-

Ridiculous as it seems and is
We learn to know and love all our gifts
When we experience loss threat of loss of them-
-
Old age teaches gratitude and humility
And fear of our own diminishment and loss-

We are what we are
As long as we are
And then we are something else
And then not.