Undeniable Truth

     A rope swing dangled alongside a lake. It beckoned me to pendulate over the water, let go, and plunge into the depths.
     No way I'd take the bait. The gap in the branches was too narrow. I wasn't sure what lay below the surface. And the water in June was still too cold.
     My excuses were logical. But they exposed an undeniable truth. The older I become, the more risk adverse I get. Years ago I would have mounted that swing.
     I'm in pretty good shape for someone fifty-seven-years-old. I play basketball. I envision long backpacking trips in my future. And I still believe in some risk taking, but not the rope swing kind.
     Aging gracefully is like pulling the reins on a horse. Do it gradually, from a gallop, to a canter, to a trot, and to a walk. Don't dismount too early.