Slipping Away

by Colan L. Hiatt
(Mt. Airy, NC)

They gather there most every morn
The retirees at the coffee shop
To discus events and each others ills
Politics and the new traffic stop

It is a highlight of their day
To greet each other as they dine
And so it's easy to take for granted
They're always there,- rain or shine

But then we notice - Joe's not there
On the second day and more
Investigation tells us - he passed on
It's just not the same as before

As we adapt to his departure
Months later we miss Mary's face
Sadly we concede, she is gone
Only her memory - we embrace

Slipping away - - slipping away!
Dear ones that we miss so much
As the blossom of a summer flower
Relinquishes life, to winters touch

But we are reminded in God's Word
Life is but a vapor or a flower
So is the span of our sojourn here
We know not, the day or hour

But there's a promise to each one
Who is anchored, safe in His fold
The future can yield untold rewards
In a Place where, "we never grow old"

So there's consolation we can claim
When a dear one "slips away"
For them - it's just a stepping stone
To usher them from, a house of clay