By Joan Wilson [Who is 85 years YOUNG today Sep 10]

Where do we park?

Trying to find somewhere to park gets more and more difficult.

Was it easier ten years ago? No.

How about fifteen?

I wrote this poem then. You can judge.

PARKING

By Joan (Watler) Wilson

We've
got a real problem with parking

Especially
right here in George Town

I
mean, this tiny town is so very busy

We can look for ages and not a space can be found.

*

New
office buildings are going up every day

With
hardly enough space left for parking.

Employees
take a chance when they drive to work

But I'm sure they prefer this to walking.

*

Now
you'd think we'd find space to park

As
we do our business in town,

But
they’ve outgrown their space long ago

As we all drive around with a frown.

*

And
we're not too accustomed to the multi-storey parking.

I
guess we just don't want to pay,

And
it wouldn't be very economical for us at all

If we had to use that facility every day.

*

What
we need is public transportation

To
cut down on the usage of vehicles.

Someone
suggested carpooling might work,

Or maybe try riding our bicycles.

*

But,
I mean, can you see us all queuing for a bus?

Or
waiting to be picked up by a friend?

"Just
wait, I'll soon come, I have to do my shopping first."

I'm sure that friendship would very soon end.

*

And
the tourists, poor souls, when they visit our Island

They
hire a car for convenience.

Will
drive into town for a good look around

Then leave with a frustrating experience.

*

Yes
folks, we're too used to driving ourselves

In
our own comfy cars here and there,

And
it's gonna be rough going when this has to stop

So make sure to save your bus fare.

*

So
when you've finished reading this poem

And
you think you might have a solution,

Try
phoning it through to your MLA

With their help it might come to fruition.

*

Anyway just remember .....

*

When
Noah sailed the waters blue.

He
had his troubles same as you.

For
forty days he drove his ark,

Before he found a place to park.

END

PS. We now have a better bus system .... but has it helped our parking problem? We now have some multi-storey parking .... but has it helped our parking problem? Many shops and businesses have moved to Camana Bay .... but has it helped our parking problem?

END

And from everyone here at iNews Cayman we wish JOAN A VERY HAPPY 85th BIRTHDAY

When asked “How would you have lived your life differently if you had a chance?” Nadine Stair, an 85-year-old woman, from Louisville, Kentucky, provided these poetic words as her response…

If I had my life to live over again,
I’d dare to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax.
I’d limber up.
I’d be sillier than I’ve been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances,
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would, perhaps, have more actual troubles but fewer imaginary ones.
you see, I’m one of those people who was sensible and sane,
hour after hour,
day after day.

Oh, I’ve had my moments.
If I had to do it over again,
I’d have more of them.
In fact, I’d try to have nothing else- just moments,
one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot-water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.
If I could do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had to live my life over,
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances,
I would ride more merry-go-rounds,
I would pick more daisies.

– Nadine Stair

SOURCE: https://mrsmindfulness.com/if-i-had-my-life-to-live-over-again/