Amano Writing Club: 'You, Past Your Expiration Date'

I am past my expiration date.

Before I knew it, I had lived this long.
I think there was a time when I was in my prime.
A time when I had a bit of spice to me, too.
Back then, I enjoyed that momentum and pretended to forget about the day my expiration date would arrive.

I did reckless things, tested myself, and got carried away, always asserting my rights to live.
Looking back now, perhaps I was always feeling the end of those days somewhere in my heart, and was living in a rush.
Frightened that I had an expiration date.

But now, I live at a leisurely pace.
...No, I still have plenty of worries at work and at home, but I've learned to cherish myself—or rather, I've learned to take care of a version of myself that feels like it might break if I don't.
Humans are fragile things, aren't they?

So now, it's okay to be past my expiration date.
Just being here and living in the present is enough.
Even if the 'best-by' date has passed, the 'use-by' date is likely still a little further off.
Surely, probably.
Until then, if I can enjoy writing like this, and someone else can enjoy reading it, that's a bonus.

Well, if I could wish for anything... I'd like to eat as many delicious things as possible, get the things I want, do the things I want to do, and when I'm satisfied with life, I'd like to leave saying, 'Thanks, see you again.'

That was me, past my expiration date.

I have participated in this project.
Thank you for your consideration.