“someone asked me”

if i were happy

and i said “yes”

because

at that moment

i was

i didn’t say that

i am always happy

but they smiled as if

they thought i meant

always

what a crock

for anyone to believe

that one could possibly be

happy all of the time

the losses we know

the disappointments we know

the anger we know

life we know

is a string of experiences

and sometimes we are sliding

down the string

and sometimes

we are climbing

up the string

and sometimes

we are happy

by Sandra McCafferty

Bio: Sandra McCafferty, a retired teacher and realtor, is a ten-year resident of Seattle.

SHARING STORIES is a weekly column for and about the 50 plus crowd living in the Puget Sound region. Send your stories and photos to ariele@comcast.net. Tell local or personal stories; discuss concerns around aging and other issues; share solutions, good luck, and reasons to celebrate; poems are fine too. Pieces may be edited or excerpted. We reserve the right to select among pieces. Photos are always a plus and a one-sentence bio is requested (where you live, maybe age or career, retired status, etc.).

SHARING STORIES is featured on http://www.northwestprimetime.com, the website for Northwest Prime Time, a monthly publication for baby boomers, seniors, retirees, and those contemplating retirement. The newspaper can be found in the greater Seattle area and other Puget Sound locations. For more information, call 206-824-8600 or visit http://www.northwestprimetime.com. To find other SHARING STORIES articles on this website type “sharing stories” in the search function above.