Life’s Reality
Gather ’round me closely and a story I’ll relate
Of life in different stages—its sad and happy state—
When as a youth, before the storm and all the world is fair,
And then a man of middle-age, with nothing left but care.
Life’s story has a happy hue and the world seems bright,
Yes, life is full of sunshine, we can not see the night,
And we with hearts all filled with plans, look forward and we see
With eyes of hope, our future fights end in a victory.
But when the days of youth are o’er, storms gather thick and fast,
The happiness of childhood has vanished with the past.
Instead of all our victories and conquest to attain,
Our fight is principally in life, our daily bread to gain.
Our plans have all been shattered; castles gone to decay;
Our childhood dreams of happiness have long since passed away.
No sunshine now we see in life, all is grief and despair,
Our joyful dreams of former years turned to trials, toil and care.
In old age we look back to these things we labored after.
Sometimes it causes sorrow; sometimes it causes laughter.
Some of our best days were ill spent in joy and dissipation,
Or mayhap some mistake in life, such as missing a vocation.
Such things will hover ’round our minds when we have all turned gray,
But what’s the use of pining for things long passed away,
For if we had the means wherewith, our lives we could relive;
We’d do the same and to these same hopes we would a nursing give.
Life has its joys and sorrows; its sunshine and its rain;
Its griefs and disappointments; its happiness and pain.
We struggle hard for happiness, think we have a boundless store,
When the monster disappointment comes knocking at the door.