Forty years is a twinkle 
in the annals of history books.
Only four decades, only forty years,
only a mere moment.

But when you put the days on a string,
the hours and the minutes, 
and the seconds - you begin to see 
how much Life can be lived 
in this twinkle of time.

Laughter, Tears, Sadness, Fears -
Joy, Relief, Depression, and Victory
all combine to create
a unique human experience. 

Forty years is a twinkle,
but compile each moment together,
and you have a lifetime of 
sparkling moments - 
a sky full of stars. 




(I felt this was appropriate for Birthday Eve, and my last day of being 40...this draft was written for myself on my 40th birthday last year - it was edited and given as a gift to a dear friend who celebrated her 40th birthday a week later. Her version is better, but I didn't keep a copy, because it is hers.)