I don't watch much television; mostly I watch the news, but I do like "Dancing with the Stars" (I like the idea of being able to dance like that!) and "Biggest Loser" (I'm captivated by the journeys of the people on the show and their stories that brought them there). Recently, I caught a glimpse of Raquel Welch as she attended a star-studded event, and the commentator mentioned that she looked fabulous for someone 70 years of age! I have to admit that was true, but how much has she paid to look that good? How many face lifts has she endured? And WHY? Because the world expects her to look as good as she did 35 years ago! Isn't that absurd?
In the natural, no one who reaches the age of 70 is wrinkleless -- it just isn't possible. Yet Hollywood and the magazines in our culture negate the aging process by flaunting people who've had extensive plastic surgery, whose photographs have been enhanced by the computer or touched up to hide every blemish and wrinkle, and by using only rail-thin, young models. We've become a nation that frowns on those with wrinkles or white hair, often creating an antagonistic atmosphere in the workplace and relegating those folks to the sidelines of life, as if their lives don't matter any longer. So much emphasis is placed on the young, the vibrant, those who are thin or those who have muscular physiques, that we as a nation have lost the respect of those who've lived life long and well. What has happened to the dignity that used to be bestowed on those who grew old with grace? Have we overlooked the fact that to grow old is a blessing from above, that all of our days are numbered by our Creator?
I'm saddened every time I hear or read of a young person dying, either by accident or by disease, because that person has stood before the throne of God and has had to give an account of his abbreviated life. Not one of us knows the length of our days. Living every day as if it were our last is the only way to live; we have only the moment that exists in the now. We are not guaranteed the next hour, much less the next day. I've been blessed with over 61 years now. Many do not reach my age. My mother-in-law just turned 88, and if I'm blessed with that many years, I've got 27 more to go! But there's no way of knowing if I'll live to be that old.
When I was a young girl, I used to look at people who were 60+ and think they were ancient -- many of them looked very old. Now that I've passed that threshhold, I realize that age is a state of mind, and if you think you're old, you'll look old, feel old, and act old! As for me, I still work out, still power-walk, still stay active with all the grandkids, and still enjoy my life as much as I can. My grandfather lived to be 94, and he wasn't old because he had a heart full of life and vitality until his last few months. The same was true for his sister, my great aunt, who died when she was 96. They loved life, they loved the Lord, and they embraced and ran with what was handed to them in the final stages of life. I only pray that I can embrace the aging process and all that may come with it as they did. I'm determined not to get old before my time.
The next time you see a white-haired elderly person with a face etched in wrinkles, look at that face as a work of art created by God Almighty, a canvas portraying the struggles, triumphs, and joys of life. Each wrinkle, each crease, has a story to tell, and even though the body may age, the spirit remains young. If you're fortunate enough to have family members in their 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond, talk to them about their youth, how things were when they were young, because once they pass away, all of their memories will go with them. Such people are rare treasures to be cherished and respected. Family is our greatest inheritance. Keep it close and precious.
No comments:
Post a Comment