Today, I am 100 years old, my heart dances to the rhythm of a tambourine, vibrant and resonant. “Give me a kiss, my love,” I whisper, for today is not just another day—it’s a testament to a life richly lived. Stepping onto the asphalt, I feel the pulse of the city, the heartbeat of the world beneath my feet.

Around us, the fools may frolic, their laughter mingling with the symphony of existence. The red traffic light, like a vigilant sentinel, halts the march of time, if only for a moment. In my pocket, a few cents jingle—the price of a simple coffee, a humble luxury that warms more than just the hands.

And though the future may appear as murky as a fog-laden morning, there’s a certain charm in the unknown. I muse over the thought, what if I had followed my shoes’ wanderlust? Where might they have led? To distant lands, to forgotten paths, to encounters destined in the stars?

Yet here I stand, a traveler of time, my journey etched in the lines of my face, each a story, each a victory, each a sweet sorrow. Today, I am 100 years old, and life is still an adventure waiting to be embraced.

© Beatriz Esmer