Ahh....to be young, again

I went to see The Wizard of Oz tonight

     Not a big thing to you, I know.  But when VCCT did this show about 30 years ago, I was the scarecrow.  I sang.  I danced.  I flopped.  I thought I did a good job, considering it was only my second appearance on stage.
     I watched a much younger person doing he same role tonight.  I did not audition, because I knew I could not flop around anymore.....well not true.  I could have flopped once, but they would have needed a couple of people to pick me up.  And woe to the world if I happened to land on a Munchkin or two...that would have been disastrous.  
      Strangely, I remembered most of the words to the song about wanting a brain.  That was so long ago.
      Now, I can't remember where I leave my sunglasses.  And I can't remember names of things that are pretty common.
     Conversations around the house are like this:  "Honey, could you get me my you know what on the dresser?"  "Where did you see my keys? (Often wallet, glasses, money, checkbook, phone, remote and youth are substituted in the question.)   We talk about other people whose names we can't recall, yet we remember the cast of Taxi and Cheers.
     Former fifth graders are doctors and lawyers and photographers and studying abroad and I struggle to learn what happened to all those summers and all those days that long ago seemed endless.
     I missed Dorothy clicking her shoes and going home tonight.  But I realized I also miss a time of my life when summers seemed endless, and old age a long way off.
     You can't go home again.  And, you can't be young again.  Live your life now.
      Oh the thoughts I be thinkin'..... I could be another Lincoln if.......