Last week some friends and I went to the Twilight series movie, New Moon. I was mesmerized by Jacob's ripped ab muscles and glowing white teeth and thinking to myself "oh my he is fine"!!! Then it dawned on me that I was old enough to be the main character's mom! YUCK!! When did that happen?? As we all stood up to leave the theater my knees hurt from sitting, Michelle's knees hurt, Missy's hip hurt...it was hilarious:)
We are aging and that fact is really weird for me. I think it began when I was little. My mom always complained of getting older. I would get so frustrated with her because I didn't think she was old and it wasn't happening to me yet, so I didn't have much sympathy. But as I look in the mirror and see my own crow's feet, and my joints begin to stiffen I hear myself complaining. I really don't want to be like that because I know getting older is a privilege and these wrinkles are from years of living. But let's be honest, old age involves suffering. It's the "preview" that we see in our parents and grandparents faces and in their aging bodies that scares us. It's the loss of control. Our bodies have a shelf life and it feels like a betrayal when they decide to not look or feel the way they should.
All this would be extremely depressing if we didn't have the promise of a forever in heaven. Some day if we know him, we will have new bodies... This long and windy uphill path down here will lead to a blessed, unfathomable new beginning in His presence. Old age, aches, pains, suffering, and loss will all be forgotten. Now if that isn't something to look forward to as we get older I don't know what is. Kind of puts it into perspective a little.
How do you feel about getting older...
excited, scary, are you going to fight it tooth and nail?
Have a blessed day.
