FULL CIRCLE: Shirley Good of Smethport shared this poem about the similarities between the first years of life and the last years of life.

“Full Circle”

We all are born wrinkled and bare

With no teeth and very little hair.

We are bathed and “swaddle-wrapped,”

Fed soft food, have many naps.

Wear diapers, bibs, booties and such.

All by caring parents who love us so much.

We’re given vitamins, get many shots

Rocked to sleep by eight (whether or not)

Prayed our souls to keep

And a loving kiss on our little pink cheek.

Then, the days come again when….

We become wrinkled, toothless, very little hair

We are bathed, fed soft diets, told what to wear.

Even diapers, bibs, booties and such

Take many naps, don’t care much.

Rock in our chairs, given meds all day

In bed by eight, just another day

Dreaming of the way it was

Trying to remember, simply because

Now, the circle is coming full round!

Shirley also tells us, “At 90 (32,698 days old!) I’m not quite there yet, but have been there enough and know what to expect! Ha.”

COMEDY: The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, N.Y., is busy preparing for its annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival to begin at the end of the month.

The center is pairing with a fellow Chautauqua County destination — the Chautauqua Institute — to offer a weeklong event titled “Comedy and the Human Condition,” to be held from July 31-Aug. 6.

Among the numerous comedians who will take the stage at the center during the festival are Jim Gaffigan, Kevin James, Robert Klein and Lisa Lampanelli, while the following will be among those to speak at the institution: Lewis Black, David Steinberg, W. Kamau Bell and Kelly Carlin.

There’s a lot more on the schedule for the week at the two places. Find out more on the festival at www.lucycomedyfest.com. For more information on the National Comedy Center, visit www.NationalComedyCenter.org.