Longevity Poem by Jim Yerman

On his 100th birthday celebration surrounded by his family…
he was asked, ‘what is the secret to your longevity? '

He was silent for a moment…they thought, perhaps, he was too weak…
"First of all, " he finally smiled, "I like to think before I speak."

"How I've lived to be 100…well, that's anybody's guess…
perhaps the best answer I can give is…it comes down to more and less."

"I don't think there is a secret, " he continued, "to this long life that I've had."
"I suppose, throughout my years…I've had more good luck than I've had bad."

"I've been lucky in my life to have more ups than I've had downs
I laugh more than I cry…I smile more than I frown."

"I have more friends than enemies…I listen more than I talk…
When life makes me feel like running…I find more reasons to walk."

"I love more than I hate…I create more then I destroy…
When sorrow touches my life…I try to find more reasons for joy."

'It's not always an easy journey…riding on Fate's wings…
but I try to find more reasons to dance…and look for more reasons to sing."

"I think of each day more as an adventure and less an arduous climb.
where I'm on the lookout for more love,
more joy and more happiness…one day at a time."

"Finally I play more than I work…and I'm always looking for a way
To discover more love and happiness today…than if found yesterday."

Living to be 100…is indeed special…when I think about it I'm amazed..
but it is less about the number days I've lived…
and more about how I've lived those days…