Loading my luggage...

Ok, yes, I'm old! Well, sorta old. Not so old in MY eyes, but perhaps in my grands eyes and even my own childrens eye's. Perhaps to them I've slipped over the edge. It's ok though, because the outward appearance has no idea what the inner appearance looks like...in other words, I still feel young!


Having said that, I went to a meeting this morning where a speaker had some interesting things to say about aging. I took away from it that as we walk this aging path, we need to load a piece of luggage that contains some vital life issues that will take us smoothly through this most crucial of times. When this aging process begins to get us down, we can then reach into our bag of goodies and begin to engage in an attitude adjustment. Let me see if I can list them along with a few thought provoking remarks, relevant or not!





Begin your journey by packing:

A Positive Attitude

Now this can be a good thing because if we begin to look at our circumstances (short timers, also known as sliding down the hill), we must look at it as the glass half full even if it really is half empty. Maybe if I tell myself enough times that being old isn't so darn bad I will truly begin to believe it! Positive thinking....I wonder if that's different from a positive attitude. Is one internal and the other external? Can we fake both? I digress...'on my honor I promise to pack a positive attitude.'

A Sense of Humor

Really???? Who wouldn't laugh at that reflection in the mirror! This one's easy, except I may be laughing through my tears! Are sagging boobs funny? How about drooping eyelids? Hey! Those age spots are hysterical aren't they? Still laughing? Well, let's add aching joints, age related barnacles, dry hair, back aches, swollen fingers, cabinet full of prescriptions, memory loss, and grandchildren that say 'grandma, you're old!' Yup, it's all pretty humorous isn't it! Am I still smiling? You bet! I've packed my sense of humor!

Purpose and Meaning

As far as I could ascertain from this guy, we should pick a purpose...any purpose...pick a meaning...any meaning, and run with it. Be it stamp collecting, saving cereal boxes, hoarding, ..well, you get the 'meaning.' I really agree with this though....if we don't have these two 'meaningful' things, our lives would pretty much be 'purposeless!' Here I am purging my house of all the things I've collected through the years and he's saying to have meaning and purpose we should start a collection! I'm still contemplating this logic! That's ok, I've placed purpose and meaning in my luggage and can pull it out any time to analyze.


A Spiritual Anchor

This one I definitely will pack with pleasure! I really don't even have to pack this one! My Anchor is my Lord and He has promised to never leave nor forsake me so He will go along for the ride and gently remind me that even though this last stage of life is difficult, I have a major transformation coming! In your face old age! He has bigger and better plans for me! Talk about an attitude changer and a good reason to keep that sense of humor aforementioned!



Moment of Truth

Now how do we pack our 'moment of truth?' This is the moment when we fully understand that life is fleeting, that we will all eventually die and there's not a darn thing we can do about it. We are all terminally ill. Ah yes, I get it! When we finally come to terms with this and settle in for the duration, it won't be such a arduous journey. It just is...deal with it. And that I will, for I know to Whom I owe my life and to where I will live again. Yes, my last breath here on earth will be followed by my next breath in heaven! Now that's a moment of truth I'm packing with care!

As I look at these five items to put in my luggage for this aging trip, I wonder which one will serve me best. I think there are two...my Spiritual Anchor is number one, and a sense of humor number two. Whoever said growing old is not for sissy's grasped the moment of truth for sure, but with a positive attitude I can go forth with purpose and meaning. I'm fully packed, closing the lid, fully aware that I can open it at any time and peruse his suggestions. Not saying I can strictly adhere to them, but it's surely a goal to strive for. Nothing humorous about that!