Old Age Follows Us And So Does Grace

 

Article and photo by Debby - Link HERE 

 Old Age Follows Us And So Does Grace

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.” — Psalm 73:26

There comes a time in our lives when we simply know we are getting
older. Forget the marketing mantra that “70 is the new 60.” I even
heard someone say, “90 is the new 60.” Come on… do you really believe that?

I’m not trying to be a Debby-downer on my 72nd birthday today.

I just tend to relate more to what is real and what is true. 

Of course, there are those times when I feel like I’m 40. We all have those moments.

But the reality is, no matter how you look at it, you cannot stop the
ageing process. So you might as well get a grip on it, embrace it, and
enjoy this season, or you’ll drive yourself crazy, never be truly
happy, and steal precious time from the limited years you have left.

My dear sister died at 56. She believed that if she simply denied
ageing, she could somehow escape it. 

Growing older deeply bothered her; the weight gain in the middle, high blood pressure, wrinkles, sagging skin, and varicose veins. She worked in the daycare and preschool world, and even as a highly skilled director, she faced ageism and discrimination. She pushed herself relentlessly, always striving to reclaim the youth she once had.

Just days before she passed, she was out in the playground with the
children and sat down to tie a little girl’s shoe. She was reprimanded
for that - told that someone in her position should not need to sit
down. That following Monday, they let her go. Three days later, she
lay down for a nap and died peacefully in her sleep.

Fifty-six years young.

It still gets to me.

She had an aggressive health issue that she kept to herself, trying to
manage it on her own. She never spoke of any of it. You can’t do that.
And she shouldn’t have had to.

A few years ago, my husband had to undergo a cardiac catheterization.
 

That was our moment, the moment we realized that, as a couple and

for him personally, we were entering uncharted territory. 

We didn’t like it. But the ageing process doesn’t care how we feel. It just keeps doing what it does.

Thankfully, he didn’t need a stent or bypass at this time. Medication
has managed it, and for that, we continue to be deeply grateful.

Standing at the pharmacy afterward, we looked up at one of those
overhead cameras. There on the screen was an older couple - a
white-haired woman and a balding man with a white beard.

“Is that really what we look like?” he asked.

“I guess so,” I replied.

We laughed and held hands as we walked out the door.

“There they are again!” he said, spotting our reflection in the mirrors.

“Yeah,” I said, smiling, “they’re following us.”

And they are.

Old age really does follow us around, so we might as well get used to
it. Better yet, learn to walk with it, laugh with it, hold hands
through it, and give thanks for every step we’re still able to take.
Because growing older is not a punishment. It is not a failure. And it
is certainly not something to fear.

It is a sacred season, one filled with grace, deeper love, gentler
hearts, and a growing awareness of just how precious each day truly
is.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
— Psalm 90:12

Lord, teach us to treasure each day You give us so we can walk gently, love deeply, forgive freely, and hold tightly to the people You 

have placed in our lives. May our hearts grow wiser, softer, and more
grateful with every passing year.

Because of Jesus, I am Debby