There is a grieving for opportunities past, opportunities lost. It’s
like the world moved on when you just stepped off momentarily to take a quick
look—and it’s gone. Not the world,
but the world you thought you knew.
There is a grieving for the identity you had carefully (or maybe not so
carefully) nurtured—okay, it kind of just happened,
but the happening seemed real and sure until one day you woke, and you
realized you are not important anymore. Well, maybe you weren’t before, but at
least you thought you were. Didn’t the world somehow revolve around you?
You are patronized that you can do some things well—and at your age!
When you are young, those things you do well are fuel for an ever expanding
future—the first step to a waiting, dazzling world, begging for your grand
entrance with its greatest hits.
But those same skills and gifts at 60-something are quaint, anomalies
in a fading body and aching mind.
You have had to step aside for all the young, pushing from the rear—
because the utilitarian you is now seen as an impediment to the
dreamers closing in.
And you are known more for your aches than your art—
more for your halting step than your racing mind.
Wisdom is underrated by the young; but
for all you have lost, that you have indeed gained,
but there is something muddled in this system when you finally have a
substantive message but have lost your audience.
**********************
II Corinthians 4:
7-8, 16-18:
We now have this
light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars
containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is
from God, not from ourselves.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are
not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
That
is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
For
our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for
us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
So
we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things
that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the
things we cannot see will last forever.
How true! I haven't been to visit your blog is such a long while, but then blogging is sketchy now a days. Retirement changed my little world....but its good =), just not as much 'me' time. Hope your day is a cool and breezy one, its so hot outside.
ReplyDeleteNice to see you again. Life has been crazy busy with the start of a new program and increased teaching. So glad grades are in the can! Retirement starts to sound good! It has been very hot here, too. I am not ready for it, but am thankful for my swamp cooler!
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