We passed along the trail
My little boy and me
And as we made our way along
To where his friends would be
As he kicked his step extra hard
Trying to keep up with my pace
And I glanced down without him seeing
The smile creeping up on my face
Up ahead paradise loomed
In the form of merry- go-rounds and swings
And the fantasy land such as these
To a child mind brings
I felt the fingers straining
Wanted to be racing  up ahead
So just to be a little rascal
I hold on just a second longer
Till I felt his gaze fall on me
I said "it's alright...go ahead"
I watched my little boy five......and a half
Musn't  forget that as if he'd ever let
So I sat down on this bench watching
It was a place as familiar as
The ever growing creases in my face
Living my childhood over vicariously
Through the eyes of my little boy
Dad and I used to come here
So many years and lives ago
And he would sit on this very bench
While on top of the slide I would be
Beating back lions or tigers below
Maybe pirates whatever I created
Right up to my  preteen years
Then I did what my little boy
Will do someday. a parents greatest fear
They grow up
I can remember like yesterday
As dad and I would start for home
We would pass by the water fountain
I would try without success day after day
Dad would lift me up that mountain
So now that had become a little routine
We go through now two generations so far
Dad would say "what do you want to do son ?"
As we were  traveling that sidewalk
Approaching The fountain as I would say
"Dad I want a drink of cold water from that spring"
"But son," he'd say "that's so high up on that mountain"
And my son will say just as I used to say
"Someday dad you won't have to hold me up
that mountain cause I'll climb it on my own."
Now its become a little routine
"Why would you want to climb way up there? "
I would say "gotta do it today
It may not be here to stay
Nothing lasts forever .....never know when..
It will be too late"

"HEY DAD " I yelled as I came running in
Shredded envelope floating around my head
Like some crazy parade float
In a ticket tape parade -as I read
"You've been accepted ..... Its the college I wanted
Ain't that great dad .. Ain't it GREAT DAD?"
"Yeah it is son but why do you want to go so far away?"
"Gotta go ..go now ..tomorrow may be too late
Nothing lasts forever... No really Dad ain't it great?"

First time I told my wife ..."Hey hon
Look what I've  got here in my hand"
"Whats that"s ?" she asked
Asked as I held two tickets half hidden
"Its two tickets to Hawaii three weeks of sun and sand"
She stopped dusting--turning so quickly
A little cloud of dust swirled around her head
She said"WHY....." as a smile replaced
Any words she might have said
"They say the oceans are rising
So we better go now and not wait
Nothing lasts forever--another year ..it may be too late"

"Hey DAD. Are you ready?"
As I yanked myself back from the past
My little boy stood before me
"Oh .yeah. I'm ready. Did you have fun son?"
As he turned to look back at the swings
And whatever it may be he saw
A smile grew along his face as he said
"Oh yeah dad .....
....l went around the whole world?"
"Really !  That's a lot to do in one day"
"Yeah I know dad ..but nothin lasts forever
Tomorrow it might all be gone
Nothing is here to stay dad"
Thats right son I said tryin' not to cry
So proud of what I just witnessed as a tear..
...Escaped my eye
"You ready to go climb that mountain
And get a nice cold drink?"
He took my hand-as one
we passed through that land
Toward that magic mountain my boy
Was just beginning to grow
in body,soul and mind
As I just got a glimpse of his humor
his faith and his glory
As he put all together-as I  watch
him learning to think

When our babysitter showed up that evening
And then my wife looked into the den
"Hey there ...are you ready to go?"
She was dressed for a very special evening
As was I but being a man I had been done for a while
So since then I had been ...sitting here in my den
Letting the day I had wash across me like a soft wind
There a reason women take longer
"Oh my god" I said "you.. Absolutely beautiful"
Taking her in my arms "Where are we going again?"
A playful laugh "To the play and a late dinner...
Is your tux or tie too tight..cutting off blood to your head.?
If you don't feel like going...its alright
Whatever you want to do is fine with me"
And I saw her searching my eyes....
....As she instinctively understood
"Well... If you don't mind I'd trip up to 'MOUNT FOUNTAIN'
Its been awhile since I've seen dads smile"
And in perfect harmony we said

"NOTHING LASTS FOREVER ..YOU NEVER KNOW....
WHEN IT WILL BE TOO LATE"