OLD AND WISE

“The disappointment of Manhood succeeds to the delusion of Youth: let us hope that the heritage of Old Age is not despair.” – Benjamin Disraeli

Having spent half the morning in hospital after an acute onset of lower back pain (which proved to be musculoskeletal in nature rather anything more sinister), once again cause me to meditate on my own mortality and the years that advance inexorably. The body’s machine begins to fail: Today a gear wheel wears out, tomorrow a belt snaps, the next day a crank breaks, all causing the machine to slow down, to work less efficiently, to stop and start again and again, more reluctantly each time, until finally it stops forever. Death approaches and each day I get more chances to contemplate it and become accustomed to its ever-closer arrival. Such is life and may all who live it reach a ripe old age free of sorrow, devoid of regret.

We rested today, coming back home from the hospital and relaxing without doing much at all, watching a movie and taking it easy. I feel better this evening, but there are still twinges of pain there, just reminders that I am no longer a Spring chicken and that I should not behave like one, putting excessive strains and stress on the machine that has started to wear out.

Appropriately then today for Song Saturday, “Old and Wise” by the Alan Parsons Project, from the album ‘Eye in Sky’:



Old and Wise

As far as my eyes can see
There are shadows approaching me
And to those I left behind
I wanted you to know
You've always shared my deepest thoughts
You follow where I go.

CHORUS
And oh when I'm old and wise
Bitter words mean little to me
Autumn winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they asked me if I knew you
I'd smile and say you were a friend of mine
And the sadness would be lifted from my eyes
Oh when I'm old and wise

As far as my eyes can see
There are shadows surrounding me
And to those I leave behind
I want you all to know
You've always shared my darkest hours
I'll miss you when I go.

CHORUS
And oh, when I'm old and wise
Heavy words that tossed and blew me
Like autumn winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they ask you if you knew me
Remember that you were a friend of mine
As the final curtain falls before my eyes
Oh when I'm old and wise.

As far as my eyes can see…