I'm getting old 
and I'm not seeing quite as well 
or remembering everything
in exactly the right way
things happened to me
I don't move as fast or
pay as close attention
to what others do or say either

but before I get too old
or too feeble to be on my own
I want to ask a couple of favors
from those of you
who have made up
my world

I want to ask you
to have patience with me
try to remember the times
when you were learning
how to do things
for the first time
and I was right beside you
holding your hand
giving you support and
guidence till you could
stand on your own 

as I get older and more feeble
please be gentle with me
I'll make plenty of mistakes
and do things slower
maybe even be crankier
than I was before but
I will still need to be treated
with a measure of respect
and be told that you love me
no matter how old I get

there are going to be times
when I have accidents
and be an embarassment
I won't be able to help it
and believe me I wouldn't
do it if there were any other way
it's a little like the parent 
becoming the child again
I'm afraid of that

please try to be tolerant
of these moments and
help me get through them
with a little dignity
still in tact

please come and talk to me
and listen to my stories
even if you have heard them all before
a hundred times or more

help me to live my final days with grace
and help me find my sense of humor
when it tries to escape

I'll need hugs and plenty of love
remember to smile
I always loved the way you smiled
your face glows like sunshine
when you do that

but most of all please remember
that I loved you 
the best way I knew how
and even though I was not always
the best parent or friend
you were all so much more
than my family and friends

you were what made up
the best moments
the cherished memories
and filled each day of my life 
with more love and happiness
than this old woman
ever deserved

Thank you for that