When I stop to reflect upon
My last twenty-five years
I find much good to focus on
Instead of pain and tears
Alas, the pain and tears were there
But, through it all, I thrived
Since each task that I had to bear
Proved that I could survive.

I see the sunlight through the trees
Gently touching each limb
So grateful for days such as these
As once, my path looked dim
I rose above the clouds and rain
That fate had dealt my way
And, while humbled, I still remain
To see each sun-filled day.

I remember roads I’ve traveled –
Every place that I have been
And when plans sometimes unraveled
I started my trek again
While it seems I was ambitious
I am sure I’ve made mistakes
From my birth, somewhat auspicious
To the present route I take.

I envision goals I carried
That, to my surprise, came true
And the ones which I have buried
For the sake of days anew
My current dreams, to me, are cherished
But, inside, I am the same
As before old ideas perished
And I gathered such acclaim.

When I stop to reflect upon
My last twenty-five years
I realize that I must move on
To all of the new frontiers
That destiny, in time, will bring
Through sadness and through glee
Until the day, I come to ring
One half of a century!

© 2005 – Jill Eisnaugle’s Poetry Collection