How do you heal many years 

within a single evening?

Wipe away a sunken fallen heart’s tears

who thought it wasn’t done grieving.

Getaway car outside grinding gears

winds up not wanting to be leaving

I left the intimate gathering

doing cartwheels in my head

and backflips in my heart

already searching how the next piece

would start

The next verses were at Gary’s

and the Nevada Club’s Gold Country art

after a quick stop by the car

everyone holding three more decades

on their chart

although these moments we are given 

freeze time at least in part

I’ve earned these lines on my face

same as I’ve earned the ones on the page

this life is filled with grit and grace

while bending bars to the cage 

Sometimes we lock ourselves away for far too long

forgetting there’s an entire world outside

then a kind stranger shows us where we might have gone wrong 

bursting the flood gates open wide

They hand us the key

in a word, a gesture or a phrase

for us to finally see

in the good ole days

and present praise

how things might actually be

Our eyes become opened wide

matching the hearts thumping in our chest

some like me may have openly cried 

others felt overwhelmingly blessed

a few who may have tried to hide

as simple visitors quickly became guests

burdens gave way to singing in unison at night

weary souls finally finding rest

For an evening we were young again

the entire universe of infinite possibilities 

laid out before us

swapping stories remembering when

part of something bigger than ourselves

flowing with the harmony in a chorus

From near and far we arrived

seeking answers to our pleas

We could see a thousand different permutations of our lives

each flickering as candles in a sierra foothills breeze

finding our way home with the version that survived 

and embraces which gave us 

a spirit squeeze and much needed ease 

the sea of faces are older and more wise

while lasting connection brought me to my knees

Emotions jumbled innermost gifted

holding common ground

Humbled and uplifted, once lost yet again found

Make sure to leave plenty of room for life to move you and surprise you

Certain to open space as well for it to awe you and prove you wrong,

Expectations may fall short but also be exceeded when they try to

It hasn’t been too little time since they saw you, it’s been far too long.