At The Crossroads

-
Now what?
I turn around
To look at him.
There he stood,
Staring back at me 
Right in the eyes.

We had come a long way,
Journeying together
For decades now. 
Through the good and the bad,
Through joy,
Through sorrow,
Through guilt,
Through grief,
Through pride,
Through regret.

Those wrinkling, wise eyes of his
Had seen their share of all.

I searched them
For an answer,
For some advice,
For some relief.
None.

“What now?” I tried again,
One more time.

I saw him smile.
And then came the words,
Still ringing in my ears:
“Your life. Your journey.”

I went speechless,
The years gone by
Flashing across my mind
In a single moment of silence.

Then I sighed,
And looked ahead 
At the paths lying in wait,
The ones I get to choose.
Still get to choose,
And that’s the best part.

It’s not done.
Nothing is over.
Not yet.

I take a step forward,
When he tugs at my arm,
Firmly.
I stop in my tracks.

He whispers in my ear,
“You did well. Let’s go.”

With that, we move forward,
Hand in hand,
Till the end of my time.

The best or the worst
Is yet to come.
It may not.
It could get better,
Or get worse.
But alongside me,
He remains.

I call him LIFE
My Life '.
A well-lived one.

- AeVey J

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