There are
disadvantages in growing old—it’s not for sissies.
It’s
a bit like a second childhood, except our children are starting to parent us
instead of our parents. We need to downsize giving us less space to manage; we’re
selling, not buying, getting rid of the stuff we decided years ago we might
need some day, but never have.
We need to
reduce our favourite pastime: eating. We are finding some of our parts need assistance
or replacing. Our address books have replaced tennis and squash courts with
doctor and specialist telephone numbers. We have to think of level floors, no
more split level living.
But there are
some benefits.
Now we know
who we are, we know what we are, although we may not always know where we are. We
have settled most of life’s questions, and are secure in our faith—we know
where we are going; thanks to the grace and forgiveness of God, and the
sacrifice of His Son on the cross.
We’ve raised
our children—as much as that’s possible—and now they are raising their
children, and their children are starting to raise theirs. But we need to
recognize as one wise man said: we take too much credit when they turn out
well, and too much blame when they don’t.
We are now as
footloose and fancy free as when we were first married and had no kids. It’s a
bit like a second youth: little responsibility, but maybe more influence; little
money, but less need of it; reduced mobility, but less need to go anywhere.
It’s supposed
to be a time to slow down and reflect on the goodness of God for a lifetime. We
will try to do that, but because time goes faster the older we get, and we have
less of it for every day that passes, there is an urgency to complete what we feel
urged to finish before that final deadline.
So
even in our mid seventies, there is still no comfortable rut to settle into. That
would be just like waiting to die. No fun in that. So we will continue to build
our trail of memories—or litter, depending on your point of view—until we are
called home. And each day that passes brings us closer to that goal.
Satisfaction
in old age is growing old with Him.
