ATB: On Aging

I stayed home from church today due to feeling a little under the weather. This morning I realized I'm especially reflective after our oldest grandsons' 9th birthday celebration yesterday. A couple of years ago at his school concert he was speaking to his friends and said "see that lady over there with the gray hair? That's my grandmother." I have thought back on that so much. First of all it was simply cute and innocent. But I realized he has never known me with the long, dark and thick brown hair of not so long ago. The saying 'out of the mouths of babes' recognizes that children very often unexpectedly say something very intelligent and wise.  Perhaps unnoticed by others, their words can linger long after they have been uttered.  As we go mature from year to year time does seem to pass by so quickly.  A day turns into a week turns into a month turns into a year turns into MANY years!  There is a choice about the attitude we take about how we're going to react to the passing of time. For instance, I obviously made a choice to let my hair gray naturally. Am I thrilled with it? Not especially all of the time, but most of the time. There are days I want to run to the hairdresser and revert to the natural 'brownette'.   But the fact of the matter is the natural color of my hair is no longer brown.  It is a natural gray. I may give in again to coloring but that remains to be seen. It will be very obvious though if I do!  Anyway,  I do like what the Bible says in Proverbs though about gray hair being like a crown of glory though, I can live with that just fine. Actually my Bible (and yours!) has a lot of very encouraging and uplifting Words about maturing through the years.  Here are are a couple of verses: "Happy are those who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding… She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor” (Proverbs 3:13, 15-16). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by Wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life” (Proverbs 9:10-11).   

Well this morning I received an email message with instructions to forward to 7 people for something hilarious to happen.  Instead, as I've done in the past, I want to share this here for everyone to read.  I liked what it said and I believe there's a lot of truth here.   The expressions mirror much of my own philosophy about aging, growing older, reaching my senior years, and all that goes with it:
 

As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself,

and less critical of myself.

I've become my own friend... 

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon;

before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it

if I choose to read or play on the computer 

until 4 AM or sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to

 those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's,

and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love... I will. 

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched

over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to,

despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old. I know I am sometimes forgetful.  

But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten.

And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken.

 How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or

when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved

pet gets hit by a car?

But broken hearts are what give us strength and

understanding and compassion.

A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never

 know the joy of being imperfect. 

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray,

and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. 

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.  As you get older, it is easier to be positive.

You care less about what other people think.

I don't question myself anymore...

I've even earned the right to be wrong. 

So, to answer your question, I like being old.

It has set me free. I like the person I have become.

I am not going to live forever, 

But while I am still here,

I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).  
And...I'll continue to enjoy living my life as someone who has literally - gone to the dogs!!!

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER

COME APART

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!

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Take care and God bless,

thanks for your interest as always in ATB - John, Ann and our Brittany crew