When I Grow Up

I will follow the stars and do remarkable things

I will climb the tallest mountains and cross the widest seas

When I grow up.

I will make the world a joyful place

I will share my passion for learning new things

When I grow up.

As my dreams grow into new realities

I will celebrate life every day and

I will pray and give thanks to God

When I grow up.

I will always take the time to see the world

through the eyes of a child.

I will look at God’s creation

with awe and wonder

When I grow up.

Then one day, quite unexpectedly,

I realized that I had reached retirement age,

I don’t always recognize the one I see in the mirror

As I look for the reflection of my younger self

so maybe I have grown up.

Nevertheless

Allow me to never lose sight

of all that life has to offer

To sing and laugh with joy

To celebrate each day

As if it were my last on earth

When I grow up.

Liz Petry, June 2022

On the occasion of my 65th trip around the sun