I feel the first rays of light come through the window. A new day has begun. An old friend comes
through the door with a smile. A welcoming sight on such a beautiful morning. After about a half
hour visit, the old friend leaves and I am left alone to enjoy the early hours. A robin lands on the
young branch tips of the maple next to my window. He sings a song joyful song, one of himself,
his mate and their young family. I think back to my origins. They were a long way away and long
gone. 90 years does that to you. Eventually the robin flys away, and I am left alone, again, to enjoy
nature's brilliance. After about another hour, the hallway buzzes with noise and I am awake and
alert. Soon another friend arrives and prepares both he and myself for the day. Soon my family
comes in for another hour visit. I laugh as they talk with each other. Oh, they are so full of life
compared to myself. I remain stationary throughout the day. Eventually someone asks them to
leave an more come in. It carries on like this throughout the day. After the third visit, I settle down
for some peace. It is now lunch time and I am in need of a nap. They turn off the lights, and I
sleep for a few hours. As I slowly drift away into sleep, I hear others like me with their visitors.
Their happy sounds lull me into a deep sleep. When I awake, everyone is gone. My old friend
comes in and turns on the lights. This time the friend whistles a happy tune. I smile and long to
sing along, but I cannot. I have no lips for to sing, no tongue from which to form the words, no
breath to bring the words alive. I watch as the friend leaves and says, "If these walls could speak,
what stories they could tell." What I would give to tell one of them.
