Fill in the blank. How would you describe getting old? There are many different ways to describe it. I myself have been finding lately that things seem to be falling apart the older I get. For example, two years ago, I took a bad fall at martial arts class and tore a small tendon in my hand. Thankfully, not enough to need surgery, but it was an adventure.
Then last year, I got some crazy weird intestinal infection that has caused my eating habits to drastically change and then just in this last month, I took another fall at martial arts (seems like a pattern with me….lol) and have an ACL sprain on my inner knee. Again, thankfully no surgery, but it hasn’t been fun.
Now, I could take all of this and complain, and I’m sorry if it sounds like I am. I’m really not. I’ve been very grateful that I haven’t needed surgery and all has turned out to be better than expected. I could take this and listen to my husband who has been repeatedly reminding me that I am not 22 anymore and should be more careful instead of reminding him that I am as old as I feel.
Okay, so yes, I’m starting to feel a little older with some of these weird ailments, but should I stop living because of it? And for the record, I am not even 40 yet!
The other day, the family and I were sitting down and watching a movie and the grandpa throughout most of the movie is complaining about getting old. Everything hurts, everything is just horrid. Life is hard. Then he goes on this adventure with his grandson and at the end, he looks at his grandson and says, “Getting old is a gift.”
It’s very true and as we get older, we need to start looking at it as the gift that it is.
The silver-haired head is a crown of glory.
Proverbs 16:31
In all actuality, we need to look at each day as the give that it is as we are never guaranteed another moment on this earth, which makes getting older even more precious.
So teach us to number our days. That we may gain a heart of wisdom
Psalm 90:12
Those verses kept popping into my head as I pondered this. Getting old can be tough, but the fact that you get to grow old is a gift!
We often forget what a blessing that is.
So even though I’m in pain from this silly sprained ACL. Even though I am getting older and new pains and issues seem to spring up out of nowhere (or because I like doing martial arts 😛 ), each day I will use the gift that’s given and take it as an opportunity to truly live. To build up others. To encourage others. To show love more. To show Christ in everything I do. To deepen relationships and live life to the fullest. Because we only have one life to live and each breath is a chance to make an impact.
Doing that truly makes growing old the greatest gift we can get!
angelaschmeling 