20 I thought each new day would bring more honor and be full of new possibilities.
21 “In the past people listened to me. They waited quietly for my advice.
22 When I finished speaking, they had nothing more to say. My words fell gently on their ears.
23 They waited for my words as they would for rain. They drank them in like rain in the springtime.
24 I smiled at them, and they could hardly believe it. My smile made them feel better.
25 I was their leader and made decisions about their future. I was like a king among his troops, comforting those who were sad.