Growing Old, and Learning from Those Who Are

Something To Think About Aging:

A while back a friend of mine, talking to me and another aging preacher, with suitable wit and sarcasm said, "I'm completely willing to admit that you are done."  It is a reality that's easier to see and declare in others than it is in one's self.  I'm a guy, have been all my life, so I speak with an element of bias.  We guys who gain a great deal of our self-worth from what we do struggle with turning loose of our careers.  Think about Big Jake and his irritation with the observation of folk who had only heard of him, "I thought you were dead."  A great deal of the appeal of the character was watching him prove his crusty reply, "Not hardly." A few years ago a wise counselor helped me understand someone.  A friend of ours was behaving in a difficult, obnoxious manner.  "Think about it," my friend counseled.  "This man has been in a position of influence all his life; he's just trying to hold on to that.  I'm working to conduct myself so my friend doesn't have to offer that explanation on my behalf.  I'm trying to maintain a modified Jacob McCandles stance.  I'm not dead, but I don't want to go around beating up people to prove it. You may be like Jake and me--you find yourself in a world populated by a bunch of youngsters who are taking over.  Or, you might be one of those kids trying to deal with one of those seasoned citizens.  A couple of thoughts: We oldsters may not be dead yet, but it is clear that we will be sooner than all these kids around us.  Clearly, we come to a point where good stewardship requires that we stop trying to hold onto power and focus on helping those who will still be here when we are dead to do their job better. When I'm gone I don't want those around me to say, "Now that he is gone we don't know what to do."  Rather I hope they will say, "Because he was here we know how to carry on." If you are one of those irritating, smarter, quicker, more capable kids, look around.  He may be a janitor, she is likely a secretary, maybe the person I speak of is your boss or grandparent.  There is likely someone in your circle who is marked with the hard-won scars of life.  Buy them a cup of coffee.  Sit down and listen.  You'll have to put up with some "When I was a kid . . ." stories.  You need to look at pictures of their grandkids, and don't make fun of them if the photos are actual prints. Maybe you thought this person was dead.  Give them a chance to prove the truth--"Not hardly!"  It's Something to Think About.   Young or old we all need the Lord. Find out more here.