I have been thinking recently about growing old with all its accompanying aches and pains, something an athlete who has grown up putting so much trust in his or her body finds particularly difficult, and Sachel Page came to mind. He had lots of wonderful things to say about aging. Here are three:
"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."
"Age has a mind of its own. If you don't mind, it don't matter."
"How old would you be, if you don't know how old you are?"
Then I was reminded of a poem about Page I read a long time ago in a terrific anthology called Sprints and Distances.
To Satch (or American Gothic) By Samuel Adams
Sometimes I feel like I will never stop
Just go on forever
Till one fine morning
I'm gonna reach up and grab me a handfulla stars
Swing out my long lean leg
And whip three hot strikes burnin down the heavens
And look over at God and say
How about that!
Beautiful.
ReplyDelete