Aging

The actress Bette Davis once said in an interview, "Getting old ain't for sissies!"  I remember chuckling about that when I heard it in my forties, but now, in my sixties, I experience the reality of that statement.  Old age forces us to think about what lies ahead...eternity.  Aging never seemed to bother me until I reached my sixties.  When I turned thirty, I had a baby, a toddler and a preschooler and too busy to think about getting old.  At forty, I had a toddler, an adolescent, two teens, and home schooling. Who had time to think about getting old?  At fifty, I had an adolescent still at home, kids in college who still needed, and amazingly, wanted Mom's advice, plus I took care of my mother who had broken her hip, and yes, still home schooling.  Days and nights flew by and I never thought of myself as old.  Then sixty hit.  I had all this time, and with time on one's hands reflection takes place.  I saw lines on my face, or as my grandson calls them "cracks" and wondered how did they get there?  I had joints stiffening, cholesterol rising, and aches and pains in places I didn't know could hurt.  I feel old.

When you are young, something exciting seems to be around  the next bend.  The excitement of college, then a new job, marriage, children, friends, but when you are old, not much seems to be in the next bend in the road.
At least that is the way  I had thought.  I can see if you don't have the hope of heaven, life seems bleaker than it does for me.  I know heaven awaits and though the body dies, life goes on.  That's an awesome thought.  I discovered that when I am not in the Word, death seems cold and unwelcoming.  The Word of God calms me down and reminds me of why God put me here in the first place.  David knew what it was like to get old, so did Hezekiah, and I am sure Daniel knew when he faced the lions in his 80's, that life on this earth isn't always easy.  As I ponder on it, these men didn't give up on life and say, "O, I am old, nothing awaits me but death."  They lived their lives and had adventures.  Okay, maybe facing a lion is not an adventure Daniel would have chosen for himself, but he worked. He didn't sit still, and say that there was no more for him to do.

I must work and create opportunities.  Life is an adventure and with God all things are possible!  Hummm maybe getting old isn't so bad after all.

________________

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