It all began as I sat in my room 
and stared straight at my fish.
"When I grow up I'll get what I want
and do whatever I wish!"

"Your wish is granted," said the fish
from behind the fish-tank gears.
"Today you'll age from noon to dusk
the span of thirty years."

And right away I started to grow
from 10 to 11 to 12.
At age 15 it started to seem
that I didn't feel like myself

I went to high school and learned to drive
all within three minutes
I even learned trigonometry 
before a half-hour finished.

I started to date (eew, girls, yuck!)
and college became a big deal.
I studied a lot and began to wonder:
"When can I just do what I feel?"

College came and went so fast
my major I don't remember
(I spent a semester goofing off
and graduated in December).

I fell in love and got a job 
and began to work a lot.
From nine to five to nine to five, 
exciting this was not.

By mid-afternoon on yesterday
I was married and had a baby.
I thought that I could afford a new car
but my accountant only said maybe. 

At six o'clock I cursed my fate
'cause the mortgage was due and it would be late
and I had an appointment but I had the wrong date
and my wife's on the phone and my boss is irate
and I'm missing a shoe 'cause that's what the dog ate
and I've no time for dinner and I don't use a plate
and there's no time for anything, not even to...

... WAIT!

At seven o'clock I turned forty years old
and I know now why it's unpleasant:
throughout my life I looked ten years ahead 
and never enjoyed the present.

The one thing I learned -- what that fish didn't say! --
is that I could have slowed it down,
by taking time out, going outside,
and sitting.  And looking around.

From my experience, here's my advice:
to your fish, watch what you say;
and plan for the future but don't forget 
to enjoy each and every day.