Golden years

Can it be fifty that we celebrate:
Where have the years gone?   What's been achieved?
Life speeds into the future with such haste
And only memories now can be believed.

Memories of good, some maybe less;
Memories we will treasure nonetheless.

The people we have known, the summer breaks,
The Christmases and birthdays, more to come.
Life is a tasty richness like the cakes
We shared, the butter, flour, fruit and rum.

The children whom we knew and now are grown
The older friends of yesteryear. now gone,
The good deeds done, and maybe wild oats sown,
All are the stuff of life, the things we've done.

And yet the years ahead hold more and more
Of God's good gifts to help us on our way;
Each year that passes brings another door
Which opened, leads us to a newer day.

So go, my child, into the years ahead,
May all our blessings help you on your way.
May God go with you and, when done and said,
Bless you especially on this golden day!