The poem below was written by one of my National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Manager (NAPGCM) friends, Debra Levy, who died this past weekend from a Brain Tumor at age 59 – a very quick passing from diagnosis to death! She was on the National Board with me, a contributor to the Public Relations committee and editor of the Inside GCM and GCM Journal. She was an excellent professional who is going to be missed by her colleagues all over the country.
~~ Wisdom of the Woods, by Debra Levy ~~
The old ones surround us like tree trunks
Strong regal oaks, weeping willows
Gnarled scrubby pines
And like leaves on a tree, we shelter them
Broadly stretching our limbs
offering energy and nourishment
The aging and wrinkled pillars
Give us roots
Our tenacious elders remind us that we perch
Sometimes steadily, sometimes falteringly
On the shoulders of past generations
Their many furrowed layers
Like intricate folktales
Reveal secret stores of strength
Resiliency, ferocity
Surprising tenderness
We outstretched leaves are of varied hues
Some are local saplings
Some are kin
Some have traveled from far-off lands
To tend these ancient souls
We struggle mightily
To keep the forest standing
And we grieve
When our beloved trees fall
The only thing that is certain
Is the future
As seasons change
We will soon take the place of the old trees
Dependent on the kindness of others