Being alive was once so effortless.

The problems came when I fought it,

Making my life miserable by getting in my own way. 

Now,

I step away from myself

To not trip myself

To get in my own way, 

Because life takes so much effort

To stay on my feet

Keep from tripping myself physically, 

instead of emotionally –  like I did so many times in my past.

Life was once only as painful as I made it for my body

Working hard

Partying hard

Playing hard

Battered and bruised for a day then rising like the dear reborn

To do it all again.

Now this body is full of pain from all the play work and party

Battered and bruised from the past

Scars burning hot with pain at times

Joints wagging fingers at me laughing at me for my past excesses

And for trying to do the young man things I still THINK I can do.

Now I have to work so hard to just get up each day

Push the pain away

But in a way it got easier 

Because it’s all practice

(But the pains remain).

What got EASIER in life was… LAUGHTER

Because it’s all PRACTICE

Practice a life of laughter 

And the pain is easier to deal with

The fatigue

The laughing at battles created fought won and lost

The laughing at myself inside and out

Laughing at life

Laughing at how so much that once meant so much,

Now means so little

Smiling about what I once took so much for granted

Now, means so much.