A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of
righteousness. Proverbs 16:31
I do not know who wrote this but after passing my 65th
birthday and all the comments on aging I thought I would pass it along. There is a lot of truth here. Van
The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being
old. I was taken aback, for I do not
think of myself as old. Upon seeing my
reaction, he was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an
interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let him know.
Old age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my
life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body the cellulite,
the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, the jiggly thighs, and the sagging skin. . And often I am taken aback by that old person
that lives in my mirror, but I don¹t agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life,
my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I¹ve aged, I¹ve become more kind to
myself, and less critical of myself.
I¹ve become my own friend. I
don¹t chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or
for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante
garde on my patio. I am entitled to
overeat, to be messy, to be extravagant. 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 until 4 a.m. and
sleep until noon? I will dance with
myself to those wonderful tunes of the 40¹s, 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 midriff, and
will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying
glances from the bikini 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 a
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
turn 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. I can say "no", and mean it. I can say "yes", and mean it. As you get older, it is easier to be
positive. You care less about what other people think. I don¹t 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.
Author
Unknown
Scripture
to Claim:
And even when I am
old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all
who are to come. Psalms 71:18
