Would You Trade It?

Would you trade it? Those wrinkles on your face,
For a little more poise and youthful grace,
A little more lightness in your step,
A little more ‘swagger’ in your hip,
Would you trade the morsel of wisdom you’ve garnished
For that youthful gleam still untarnished?
Would you go back if you could today?
To start over in some distant yesterday?
Would you trade experience for carefree laughter?
Would you give back your children and the here ever after

To be young; to start all over again,
To experience once more past sorrow and pain,
To live out your firsts with no more knowledge
Than the one who must yet go through grade school and college,
Would you give her back, your lovely wife,
To start a-fresh this journey of life?
If tonight you heard God’s voice
Give you this impossible choice, would you trade it?
Sometimes I wonder why we fret and sigh
At the speed with which the years hasten by,
When in reality most would not likely go back
Knowing what age gives that in youth we lack,
So when wrinkles come and knees get stiff
I hope I’ll believe that age is a gift,
And God’s design is best,‘tis truth,
For there’s much we would never trade back for youth

Love, from your sister Janet

Back when I was 39 and thought 40 was OLD!! I gave my brother Dave this poem. In a few weeks he turns 50. The oldest of my 'three little brothers' turns 40 today. (When we were still all at home our family was sort of divided into groups; the four oldest then the 3 little girls and the 3 little boys:)

Happy 40th birthday, Lewis!