Death and Relations Can be Painful

Growing Old Gracefully, a new twist

Growing Old Gracefully

Talking with my oldest daughter this morning, I happened to mention that I was still looking for what the old folks meant when they talked about growing old gracefully.  If you have read some of my poems, prose, short stories, you know that I do not believe that I am growing old with any grace at all.  Most of my friends are also not growing old with much grace, as I imagined the old folks meant.

Many of us have lost our teeth, our health, our sight, our money/source of income (outside of social security and SSI), lost contact with friends and even some family members.  If you are like us and your hair is thinning, and your bones ache or you get out of breath walking then you too may have asked, "Where is the grace?"  Try looking back at some of those youthful pictures that you took when you were twenty-one (21), thirty-five (35), forty-five (45) or even fifty (50).  Where did that person go?

Do you remember staying out all night; dancing until the sun rose; debating the troubles of the world, and your plans to change everything?  Where did the glory days go?  What happened to us, and yes, where is all that grace that those old folks spoke of so loftily?

I finally got the answer!  Waking up each morning is truly by God's grace.  Grace and grace alone is keeping us here.  We know that we (at least me) did not do many of the things that ensured a long, healthy, safe and wonderful life.  We drank alcoholic beverages in excess.  We got as little sleep as possible so that we could meet our obligations, and take care of our wants.  We can cite incidents that surely could have been our demise, but God and grace kept us here.  Grace along with mercy have given us the opportunity to be here today. 

So, yes I am growing old "grace"fully with all of my youthful memories.  I thought about my body like I think about my house.  My house is full of grace and dignity.  It was built in 1903.  Many of its parts have had to be replaced (boiler to furnace; oil to gas; new roof and siding; new stove, refrigerator, dishwasher; new flooring and a host of other things).  Likewise, a few of my parts have required replacement and/or adjustment.  Even though some of me no longer work the way it use too, I am functioning rather well, and sometimes even "gracefully."  We baby boomers, I believe, have more grace than many generations before us.

We have a much improved life over many of those before us.  In the past few years, I have visited Costa Rica, taken a few cruises, visited a number of other island, and done things my mother never even dreamed.  I have a slew of loving grand kids who call

Years ago, someone said that everything is relevant, well, I guess they had a point.  Growing old gracefully depends on your point of view!