Living On Borrowed Time Ain't Just For Old Folks

Common Sense Commentary: Read the tombstones... There are all ages out there in the cemetery.

We are all on God's "Time Debit". We have no free time we own ... guaranteed. "Our times are in His hand." Psm.31:15.  When God is ready for you, He doesn't have to look for a way to cancel you out, delete you, shut you down or call you home ... He has all the ways. He owns the air we breath and our ability to breath it. We are all on God's "Life Support System". All He has to do is remove His hand and you are dead, whatever the pathologist says is the cause.  Breathing is God's art official respiration.

I am neither happy nor unhappy with my old age. It is what it is ... old. Some call it "elderly"... That's nice. Others say, "Senior Citizen" ... a kind way of saying "old". I'm a realist who wants the facts. My body is not 83 1/2 years young but 83 1/2 years old. If that ain't old ... what is?  Its my brain that's young. I told a young man the other day I was nearer 70 than 60. He guessed 69. I told him he was not even close.

Old age is inconvenient but not yet terminal ... and still better than that alternative. It is often frustrating when you feel young in your mind but can't remember where you left your glasses, or car keys, or car. Every old person has stood in a large parking lot ... looking in all directions for their car ... certain someone has stolen it. Just keep walking in large circles, pressing the emergency alarm on your car key ... You will find it. I can't hear half of what is said and often lose my thought or vocabulary ... or can't walk after sitting awhile. Old age ain't for sissies, but nobody ever said I was one of those.

Actually, I wouldn't want to be young again. Old age has many benefits as well as liabilities. Lust, for anything, other than rest and patience, is pretty well gone. My mistakes seldom affect anyone but me any more. That's a relief.  When I realize I may have a lot of suffering to endure in the near future ... and will soon even die, I still wouldn't trade me for a newer model. Neither would I trade my problems and regrets for anyone else's and I have never wanted to be someone else. I have met and counseled too many people, in my life, who wanted to trade lives with someone who "looked" happy or rich or famous. I wouldn't even like to live my own life over again so I could correct mistakes, sins, actions or words. I probably wouldn't do any better the second time anyway.

I can honestly say, I enjoy life as much now as ever before... but in a different way. The really good things in life mean much more to me and the bad things have no appeal whatever. I have striven for that all my life. Why would I now give it up?

I can't say with the Apostle Paul, "I have a desire to depart...." He was obviously much more spiritual than I. I want to live as long as God wants me to ... and not a minute longer. I don't want to suffer the pangs of death, but that is His department, not mine.

So, you young and middle aged people, don't worry about getting old. It really isn't all that bad ... compared to that other alternative ... or even having to endure the follies of youth ... again. The worst thing I can think of is to live to be much over 100. But I don't know... I've never been there... Maybe I will like it.

Whatever age you are, concentrate on loving God, loving your family, the souls of people, loving life, good friends, the success of others, a sunrise or sunset, rain, rest, little children, old dogs and a good laugh. Practice it while you are young so it becomes who you are. Gravestones have "en-graved" on them all ages ... from infants to centenarians.  RB