The kingdom within. I believe it.

When I was a young man, I didn't look forward to old age. Like being 73. Thought I'd like to stay young forever. But I'm pleasantly surprised. Being 73 isn't all that bad. Of course, if I were dreadfully ill, it would be another matter. But if I could lock in at where I am at now, I'd make do. I'm not as physically agile as I was in my younger days. But hey, I manage quite well. And meanwhile, I'm benefiting from life's experience. I know more about the art of love than I used to. And I'm still learning. I may be stupid, relatively speaking. But I'm getting smarter all the time. Mostly, it's a matter of getting my priorities straight. And knowing who I am. Yes, a romantic idealist, a free-thinker, a liberal and a lover. Not necessarily in that order. I shuffle the deck, so to speak. Depending on how I feel on a given day. When I was young, I lived far too much in the future. Always looking forward to tomorrow's or next week's or next year's pleasure. Now I grasp the pleasure of the moment. Today. Another thing. I've developed a thick skin. I seldom get upset. I can take criticism. Because I don't always take it too seriously. Often, I counter it with humor. With laughter. Over the years, I've cultivated self-confidence. And the ability to pursue love. Also, I've recognized that many things in life are beyond my control. Therefore, I have learned acceptance. And I try to make the best out of bad situations. Yes, a positive attitude makes a big difference. I've also become more expressive, and more opinionated. I like to speak my mind. Gives me a sense of being free. Sure, I may offend and alienate some folks. But I do it with good intentions. I'm trying to toughen 'em up. Get them to be more open-minded. More accepting of diverse points of view. Anyway, I may seem a little too self-absorbed. But that's because I'm looking for heaven. For paradise. And I'm told that the kingdom is within...and I believe it. --Jim Broede