I'm starting to put up some pretty big numbers on God's tote board. Where did all the years go? How did I get to age 63 this fast?
It doesn't seem that long ago I was just a kid doing all the things kids do as they grow up. It seems like yesterday I was a young adult, embarking on a career full of all the hopes and exciting dreams one has when he still believes anything is possible and every goal is within his grasp.
There was a time when life felt endless and thoughts of growing old rarely crossed my mind. Even though I keep telling myself I'm still young, reaching my 60's got my attention, far more than turning 50 did. Knowing how rapidly my 50's had flown by had finally driven home the truth that the older we get, the more quickly the years seem to pass. Hitting my 60's left me with the simple realization there's no time to waste because there's so much left to do, so much still to see and so much more to be enjoyed before the lights are turned out.
I stubbornly refuse to join the AARP and have been unwilling so far to take advantage of "senior discounts," as if that will somehow deter the relentless march of time. I did, however, make one concession when I enthusiastically accepted the lifetime pass handed to me when I drove into the Grand Canyon National Park last summer, a privilege offered to citizens 62 years or older that can be used at all national parks throughout the United States.
We all wonder on occasion how much time we have left but none of us have the answer. For me, it's enough to know getting older sure beats the only alternative and that alone is sufficient to make me grateful for the continuing gift of life. I can't be forever young but I can be forever thankful for each new day.
Growing older naturally leads us to reflect on our past, but that's water under the bridge. We know in life there are no do-overs and in every life there are ups and downs, successes and failures, good times and hard times. We have some regrets. There are things we wish we hadn't done, things we should have done, but so much we are happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.
By watching and learning from those older than me, I've come to understand we each get to choose how we confront advancing age and declining health. I've decided to not look back too often but to keep looking ahead, remembering at all times that you only live once and you should keep striving to get the most out of each day. That seems to me the best way to finish the race.
So embrace the years you have left. Live with a purpose. Be happy. Laugh a lot. Have courage but don't be afraid to cry a little. Stay engaged with the world around you. Do stuff you've put off and try new things. Go places. Love and cherish your family and friends. Be kind to everyone and do what you can, as often as you can and for as long as you can, to make a difference for others.
These words I once read come to mind: "Today is the oldest you've been, yet the youngest you'll ever be, so enjoy this day while it lasts."
So I'll enjoy today and all the tomorrows I'm lucky enough to be given. As Yogi Berra said: "It ain't over until it's over".
NAN Our Town on 05/20/2015