The Exhausted and Aching Rejoicing of the Soul

At the end of a very long day

At the end of a long-ish string

Of very long days

I am tired and my whole body hurts

No, that’s not quite true

I’m not tired

I’m exhausted.

This is tired to the tired power

My brains melted

And oozed out of my ears

To puddle on the floor

Days ago

I shuffled to my car

Like an old woman

Who misplaced both her Getitol

And her walker

And the aching part

Or parts really

Because there isn’t a square inch

Of my body that doesn’t hurt

I push myself

To do what needs done

When it comes down to

The financial realities of life

But as much as I’m tired

Or my joints are on fire

These feelings are blessings

In disguise.

First because I’m fortunate

To have a good job; or really, any job

But especially one with opportunities

To work the extra hours

But beyond that

Being tired and achey

Means I’m alive

Have you thought about that?

If I have aches and pains

If I’m tired

It means I’m still here

And my time hasn’t expired

So each trial or hardship

Each annoyance

And aggravation

Is preferable to not being here

And while it’s damn difficult

To remember that lesson

When dealing with some

Of mankind’s finer specimens

It’s worth reminding ourselves

To look at the alternatives

And remember to rejoice

In everything we experience

For in the experience

Whether you judge it as good or bad

There is life

And life should make your soul rejoice.