A slow erosion, day by day, The vibrant colors fade to gray. A purpose built on measured pay, To keep the bills and wolves at bay. The friends and laughter, just a ghost, Of what a younger self could boast. A lonely ship upon the coast, adrift on what matters most. The mirror shows a weary face, A hurried life, a frantic pace. A sense of being out of place, Trapped in a quiet, empty space. But still, the breath, the beating heart, A stubborn, unyielding, fragile part. A new beginning, a fresh start, A promise to not fall apart.