by Annette Bridges. ©2010. All rights reserved.
“I want us to be that couple,” I said to my husband. My most poignant moment during our trip to Maui came as I watched a very senior-looking couple slowly leave the restaurant where we were enjoying a delicious seafood dinner. They were smiling, hand in hand, each with a walking cane in the other hand.
I couldn’t help but think how awesome it was that this dear couple undoubtedly traveled thousands of miles for a tropical vacation — even now.
And why not, I queried. Why should they stop going and stay home?
Maybe traveling isn’t as easy as it once was. Maybe it takes longer to get where they want to go and do what they want to do.
Isn’t there still joy in watching the sun set over the ocean? Isn’t there still contentment while breathing in the fresh sea air? Isn’t there still wonder when seeing a mother and baby whale swim side by side?
Surely, there is no age limit for such life pleasures!
So why should we let aging keep us from experiencing these pleasures? I think we should do our best to not let anything keep us from doing what we want to do. That’s my life plan anyway — after being inspired by my elderly vacationers.
Sometimes we start believing opinions of others that try to tell us we’re too old. Or sometimes we start believing theories that say a certain age brings certain limitations.
This reminds me of Sarah (in the Bible) when she was ninety years old and received the news from God that she would have a baby. She laughed at the idea. The Bible says, “So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “Will I have this joy after my husband and I have grown old?”(Genesis 18:12) God responded with the resounding, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14) And indeed, she gave birth to Isaac.
Whether Sarah’s laugh was in delight or disbelief, I must admit if I received such news, my laugh would be one of sarcastic doubt, and my reply to God would be, “Lord, you’ve got to be kidding!”
Admittedly, I don’t really want to prove I’m not too old to have a baby. But I don’t ever want to be too old to go on a vacation with my husband! And the spiritual truth is that our God-given freedom and dominion is timeless — ageless. Mortal measurements are man-made. I’m quite certain that how old is too old is not a question known to the Lord.
Perhaps some ageless thinking will help precipitate some ageless living. We need not accept that decrepitude and decline is inevitable. Who is it that confines, restricts, hinders or inhibits the days of our lives? Who perceives us as young or old? Not God!
We can break any age barrier that would keep us home by acknowledging and exercising our eternal spiritual qualities of promise, purpose and progress. God has endowed each of us with boundless energy and a never-quit spirit. We can prove this even if only one step at a time!
And as we do, these words of Job will ring true, “And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.” (Job 11:17)
So with determination, resolve and perseverance, plan that vacation and have fun. Live life now — moment by moment. Don’t worry about tomorrow or “what if’s.” Just keep going, my friends!