GROWING OLDER

Lord,
as I grow older,
help me to be wiser,
having learned from my successes,
but especially from my failures,
becoming sweeter, not bitter, not sour,
not angry at myself or others
because of doors and dreams never opened.

Lord,
as I grow older,
I don’t want to be a burden
to others, but if I need help,
help me to accept another’s hand
without resentment, without rejection,
growing older, ever so graceful,
ever so grateful. Amen.

(c) Andy Costello,  Reflections, 2007