My friend Jim’s Daily Awakenings is right on target about what it means to grow old. I have an idea to add to how I feel about growing old. Well, thank you God, I am growing old. We hear a lot of advice from youngers about what we should have done to prevent disease and creaks and groans, but I am standing up to defend us oldsters.

Old people don’t need someone to tell them that they are sick because of choices they made or stresses they have.  With diet, exercise, worthwhile activities, prayer–a wholesome life–people get sick. Old age is wearing out. Some wear out sooner than others.  What is, is. I felt better when I quit letting anyone intimidate me about why I am sick or about wrong choices I made. What is, is means doing the best with what I can now do, and celebrating life without looking back at mistakes. The forward lens is much cleaner than the backward lens, but I have to admit it is an adventure requiring creativity. We were all created with creativity by a creative God of with.

You can subscribe to Jim’s Daily Awakenings at Chapelwood.org