Aging Doesn't Have to Mean Being Alone
I recently had a conversation with a friend who retired not too long ago. He shared that almost immediately after he retired, he got sick and had developed problems with some of his joints, making it hard to get around. Our conversation reminded me of a retired officer who once worked at our Territorial Headquarters. She worked regularly well into her 90’s. Whenever someone asked her what her secret was shoe would reply “If you slow down, you go down.”
These two occurrences, along with the recent observance of “Grandparents Day,”,have made me stop to consider the whole idea of aging. My wife and I are close enough to retirement age that we are beginning to talk about next steps and future plans. But after more than four decades of being assigned where we will work and where we will live, we find the process of deciding on our own to be quite daunting. We have determined that there are certain things that we “require”wherever we decide to live. We are blessed to have those options.
There are many people in our communities who are aging and experiencing the fact that the toil of life and the realities of living can be burdensome. Many are alone, some are sad. By offering opportunities for learning, fellowship and nourishment, Senior Programs at The Salvation Army are a lifeline that keeps these precious ones sane and safe. Varied opportunities and experiences keep minds sharp and bodies moving. This care for our aging parents, friends and neighbors is commanded in scripture in more than one place. However, the honest truth is that those providing care are often rewarded more than those receiving it. The sharing of knowledge, skills, heritage, and life lessons fulfills the grand design of God for one generation to pour into the next.
The prophet Isaiah has words of encouragement for us, no matter where we find ourselves on this journey we call life. He tells us that God is always there, and He always cares!
Isaiah 46:4 (NLT2)
"I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. "