There are two great songs (at least) with the title One of These Days. In the one by Pink Floyd, the line goes, “one of these days I’m going to cut you into little pieces.” The other, by Neil Young, has a gentler sentiment and goes “one of these days I’m going to sit down and write a long letter to all the good friends that I know.” It’s Neil’s version that is rattling around in my brain.

This is the time of year for looking back, at least for those of us who do look back. Now that I have six decades to look back on, there are innumerable memories, many of them to good to be true. That love should have come to me so early in life, and sustained me for the entire ride, goes beyond the law of averages, beyond even the realm of good luck, into the land of dreams.

I’ve known my oldest friends since we were teenagers. We’ve watched each other grow into adults, most with kids of our own who are older now than we were when we met. Others I’ve met along the path, some who have stayed and some who have drifted away. I know I will never get around to writing that long letter to all of them, so I will share the song instead:

One of these days
I’m gonna sit down and write a long letter
To all the good friends I’ve known
And I’m gonna try
And thank them all for the good times together
Though so apart we’ve grown

One of these days
I’m gonna sit down and write a long letter
To all the good friends I’ve known
One of these days, one of these days, one of these days
And it won’t be long (it won’t be long), it won’t be long (it won’t be long)

And I’m gonna thank
That old country fiddler
And all those rough boys
Who play that rock ‘n’ roll
I never tried to burn any bridges
Though I know I let some good things go

One of these days
I’m gonna sit down and write a long letter
To all the good friends I’ve known
One of these days, one of these days, one of these days
And it won’t be long (it won’t be long), it won’t be long (it won’t be long)

From down in L.A.
All the way to Nashville
New York City
To my Canadian prairie home
My friends are scattered
Like leaves from an old maple
Some are weak, some are strong

One of these days
I’m gonna sit down and write a long letter
To all the good friends I’ve known
One of these days, one of these days, one of these days
And it won’t be long (it won’t be long), it won’t be long (it won’t be long)
One of these days, one of these days, one of these days
And it won’t be long (it won’t be long), it won’t be long (it won’t be long)
One of these days, one of these days, one of these days
And it won’t be long (it won’t be long, it won’t be long)