The years have passed by

In the blink of an eye,

Moments of sadness

And joy have flown by.

People I loved

Have come and have gone,

But the world never stopped,

And we all carried on.

Life wasn't easy,

And the struggles were there,

Filled with times that it mattered,

Times I just didn't care.

I stood on my own,

And I still found my way,

Through some nights filled with tears,

And the dawn of new days.

And now with old age,

It's become very clear;

Things I once found important

Were not why I was here.

And how many things

That I managed to buy

Were never what made me

Feel better inside.

And the worries and fears

That plagued me each day,

In the end of it all,

Would just fade away.

But how much I reached out

To others when needed,

Would be the true measure

Of how I succeeded.

And how much I shared

Of my soul and my heart

Would ultimately be

What set me apart.

And what's really important,

Is my opinion of me,

And whether or not

I'm the best I can be.

And how much more kindness

And love I can show

Before the Lord tells me

It's my time to go.