Why senior adults in physical therapy inspire me

I see gold-medal athletes
most every single day.
But not on rinks of ice or mountain slopes.
These wrinkled aging champions
don’t wear team uniforms.
They amaze me by the many ways they cope.

They push themselves in therapy
regaining what they’ve lost
through a stroke or joints a surgeons just replaced.
And while their reps are painful,
you will rarely hear complaints
though the agony is etched upon their face.

These senior saints convict me
of my tendency to quit
when I slip and bruise my often-swollen pride.
How I want to be more like them
giving everything I’ve got
as I go for gold until the day I die.

Remembering the life of a beloved child star; A Final Salute to Sid

A Toast to a Dimpled Temple
Remembering the life of a beloved child star

A child star-turned-diplomat,
that darling Shirley Temple Black
has left us with sweet memories
of Curly Top and more.

The Good Ship Lollipop has sailed
beyond our sight with one who nailed
each part that pint-size actress played
(some forty films in all).

Bojangles taught her how to dance
in petticoats or sailor pants
while Jean Hersholt helped Heidi see
a dear grandfather’s love.

When my mom was a little girl,
she emulated Shirley’s curls
insisting that her mother set
her hair just like the star’s.

And when I was a little boy,
my brother ordered up a “Roy.”
But Shirley Temple was my drink.
A 7-up made pink.

And so I lift my glass to say,
“I’m sad that Shirley’s passed away,
but grateful for her good long life.
Peace to her memory!”

A Final Salute to Sid
Rendering unto Caesar our respects

We rendered unto Caesar laughs.
We laughed so hard we cried.
But now we render our respects
with news that Sid has died.

“Your Show of Shows” was Caesar’s throne
when TV was quite new.
His brand of humor reigned supreme.
And no one asked “Sid who?”

But now that this great comic’s gone,
I’m very sad to say
that few (if any) folks I know
care that Sid passed away.

Peace to his memory!

http://movies.msn.com/in-memoriam-2014/photo-gallery/feature/?photoidx=2

But he’s not the only one

The kid from Compton with the dreads
is villainized for what he said
when at the end of Sunday’s game
he let his ego soar.

This Stanford grad with gifted hands
who’s idolized by Seahawks fans
broke up a desperation pass
and sealed Seattle’s win.

And since he’s great (as he well-knows)
his well-fed ego grows and grows
resulting in what we beheld?
regurgitated trash.

Ironically, what critics hate
is largely what makes Sherman great.
He needs a Mr. Peabody*
to curb his appetite.

But don’t we all? We need someone
to tell us when we’re acting dumb,
to help us discipline our mouths
and learn to hold our tongues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WABAC_machine