What Do We Do? Poem by Jim Yerman

Grandparents know their grandchildren make life more interesting.
How they add beauty and laughter…
how they enhance…
But what do you do when your grandchildren ask…
"Hey PopPop do you wanna dance? "

You immediately weigh out your options.
It's not pretty when you shimmy and shake.
You think of your poor aging muscles…
and all of the parts you might injure or break.

You're not as limber or athletic as you once were.
Who are you kidding!
You were seldom limber and never athletic!
Then you look at your grandchildren and ask yourself,
Do I risk looking awkward and pathetic?

You never danced much when you were younger
not even at sock hops while you were in school
and with your grandchildren patiently waiting…
do you risk looking, now, like a fool?

Then you think of your grandchildren and you marvel
at how fast they are growing each day
and you think…life is made up of moments like this
and decide not to let this one slip away…

So you smile and you take a deep cleansing breath…
determined not to to miss out on this chance…
you find a place between your two grandchildren
and when the music starts…
you start…
to dance