A YOUNG woman was out jogging one morning, smashing herself, when in her agony, she noticed an old white haired man peacefully sitting on his front porch, smiling at her. She stopped outside his house, looked at him and smiled back. She walks up onto his porch and says “Sir, I work out and I diet, and I meditate and get plenty of sleep. But I don’t know; what is the secret to a long happy life?” The old white-haired man replied “Well, I go out and drink myself stupid every night, I eat junk food whenever I feel like it, I smoke like a chimney and I chase after women every night until the early hours of the morning.” The young woman shouts at him in disgust “Why you dirty old man!” “What do you mean “old”” he replies “I’m only 25!”.
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Perhaps you read the disappointing news (The Daily Advertiser, June 21, 2016) that on Sunday afternoon, right here in Wagga, yet another elderly woman in Mount Austin was robbed by youths. But Sunday afternoon’s robbery was a little worse than the usual as these three youths robbed the bed-ridden 80-year-old while she was watching them and telling them to their faces that she couldn’t move. Perhaps for the youths it was just a game, but I think these teenagers will never forget what a horrible thing they did on Sunday, especially if they themselves are granted the dignity of old age.
Growing up I never fully understood why some people looked younger or older for their age. I often wondered why we had to gradually get old at all. Why does a loving God allow us to slowly watch each other, and ourselves deteriorate, which can be quite a traumatic experience?
Why deny it; life is short. I don’t think this is being negative, but in a strange way, positive. Why muse on it? So we can appreciate and participate with the years and people we still have.
Ever watched a game of sport that is played against the clock? When are the most exciting plays? Usually in the last quarter, the last few minutes, or even the last play of the game. Why? Because every player on the field knows that their time is running out.
Our life is also like this; played against the clock. We only have so long to achieve what we are on this earth to achieve; and we don’t know when our heavenly coach is going to call us off. It is a good thing, not a bad thing, when we realise this. Probably one of the worst pieces of advice anybody ever gave me was “Slow down; you’re only young. You’ve got plenty of time.”
As the years role by, the wrinkles come and the hair greys. But what seems a negative from our creator, is, as always, a positive gift. To the good children each and every wrinkle and grey hair says “Your eternal reward is getting closer”. To the not so good children the wrinkles and greys are gentle but obvious reminders it is time to change.
Our bodies may deteriorate as we get older, and even some aspects of our creativity, but there is one asset that gains momentum as we age and that is the greatest human asset: our wisdom. If you look down through the centuries, history’s great prophets and great people, if they were great people, were rich in wisdom, and wisdom comes with age; well for most people anyway, hence the saying “there’s no fool like an old fool”.
In our old age, God does not forgot about us. We may even want heaven now, but for God’s own glorious reasons, for now your time is on earth. How do we know? Because our hearts are still pumping, and our lungs are still breathing. They are simple but obvious signs that the siren has not yet gone and we are still active players in this game.
