THE ANATOMY OF COURAGE

Eighty-four years of stories told,

A life rich with wisdom, more precious than gold.

I’ve danced through seasons, sun and rain,

With joy in my heart, and courage through pain.

Each wrinkle, a map of adventures gone by,

Of laughter, of tears, under the wide-open sky.

My hands have built, my spirit’s soared,

My love a gift, forever adored.

Through decades l’ve seen the world unfold,

Embraced each moment, both quiet and bold.

From dreams that bloomed in youth’s bright light,

To lessons learned in the calm of night.

At eighty-four, I’ve learned to see,

The threads of courage woven through me.

Not in battles grand or wars hard-fought,

But in the quiet strength life’s trials have brought.

Courage lives in every breath I take,

In bending, not breaking, when the world starts to shake.

It’s in the mornings I rise from bed,

When old bones creak but hope moves ahead.

It’s in the letting go, the graceful release,

Of things once held tight, now given to peace.

In the love I give, though time is fast,

Knowing full well it may not last.

Courage is found in every scar,

The silent memoirs of battles near and far.

In each wrinkle carved by joy and strife,

They form the contours of a well-lived life.

It’s in the forgiving, the hard-earned grace,

In staring fear directly in the face.

Through loss and heartache, I still remain,

Learning to dance in the falling rain.

At eighty-four, I now understand,

Courage is less about strength of hand.

It’s the steady heart that never sways,

The light that burns through life’s winding maze.