It’s just okay growing older.

There’s gratitude for being
above ground, as they say, 
still sucking air,
and sorrow for the friends
and family who aren’t.

But, do I wish I could go back 
and be the one who catches 
the cheerleader as she free falls 
from the top of the pyramid?

Some days. 

Some days the regrets stand out
like steeples against the skyline. 
And the pavers shift beneath
the weight of nostalgic desire.

But, there’s something to be said
for being a seasoned traveller,
of having one’s bags packed
and waiting beside the door:

whatever the next destination is,
it’s someplace I’ve never been before.