today’s entry is dedicated to mama “june” kwan
who would have been 79 today, our hearts hold her fond…

…a little bit of this, a little bit of that
it doesn’t take much to get life-fat
a little bit of laughs, a little bit of pain
i’m tellin’ u it’s all in the game of life to tame

down pintxos with zurito and txakoli
an array of choices to make, resist or glean
how to lick life’s pintxos platter clean
cuidado – excess of obsess yields consequences of sin

in 2 weeks, we covered 3700 kilometers by car
from lyon to nice, san sebastian, barcelona, millau, avignon afar
our soul re-awakened to what could be had
to not think through “what next” will be tragically sad

when we still have the chutzpah to om-pa-pah
eyes to see, marvel in awe, ooo la lah
ears to listen, tastebuds to sample and baste
tongues to twist and culinary delights taste
legs to walk and pace from place to place
minds sharp enough for local haunts to trace
arms to hug and embrace hospitality grace
get lost to be amazed in love’s labyrinth maze

when we get on each other’s nerves
more than we enjoy each other’s serves
when travel yields more bruise
and becomes a chore, opt for cruise
before resorting to a nursing home noose
if u can, dwell first in chocolate mousse
before oblivion snooze
that’s when we sit on our buns
soak in and stare at rise and set of suns

someone sent me a story some time ago
now retold with ramrom modification glow

there were once 2 brothers who lived on the 75th floor
one day the lifts were not working so stairs they had to claw

after struggling to the 25th level, panting and tired
they decided to abandon their bags quagmired
they continued on and struggled to the 40th floor
then younger brother started to grumble, tempers soar
and they continued to squabble
all the way to the 50th floor as they wobble

they then realized that they have only 25 levels more to climb
decided to stop quarreling and continue climbing in peace sublime
they silently climbed on and reached their home at long last
each stood calmly before the door and waited for the other, the key to cast
but lo and behold, their realization told
the key was in their bags left on 25th floor cold

this story is reflecting on our life…
many of us live under the expectations of our parents and friends, “their success” to strive
we seldom get to do the things that we really like and love while subjected to so much pressure
by the age of 25, we get tired and decided to dump this load of measure and stressure

we then enter next third of life slogging and dream ambitious wishes and scheme
but by the time we reach 50 years old, we start to lose our vision, dream and steam
we began to feel unsatisfied and start to complain and criticize
we live life as a misery as we are never satisfied, potential unrealized
reaching 50, we realize that we have little left for complaining anymore
and we try to walk the final episode in peace and calmness but sore

we think that there is nothing left to disappoint us, only to realize that
we could not rest in peace because we have an unfulfilled dream that could be had ……
a dream we abandoned 50 years ago
but ramrom declares,….. say it isn’t so….

for the last third of one’s life should be the best chapter to boldly  scribe, tow and glow
and i thank God for His blessings flow
what a wonderful world…

wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the marrakesh express
wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the marrakesh express
they’re taking me to marrakesh
all aboard the train
all aboard the train……