One’s early 90s seem like a typical age to die if one wants to have a view based on the news feeds. I am slowly coming to appreciate the perspective that one has as one considers making the most of the time one has. When I meet individuals looking to break their metaphorical chains, living life to the maximum and wanting to make a difference with every moment they have, I find hope and a shared dialogue. In every phase of life, someone telling you something is unsafe, that it should not be done, and that one’s age is a barrier. The young and the old experience this the most frequently, yet experience reminds me that I have heard this in every era of my life.
Belief and trust are essential and ageless. Together, they transcend generations, cultures, and one’s birth year. When I was young, I thought I would live forever. I lived with this belief. As I have aged, I find myself trusting my beliefs as my foundation for caring action, knowing that someone else will finish the job. The example I am aiming to “Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world.” (Hebrews 11.13)
Intentional action is connected to sustained growth. What I do reflects the values and priorities of my heart. Intentional words and choices connect the most significant pieces of my heart and soul with the relationships in my life. In my reflection that follows, I find opportunities to learn, grow, and reach for the better man hiding within me.
There are limits; whatever they are, they do not define today. When I was young, I thought it was sixty. Now, many see it as ninety. Whatever my age, I want to follow my father’s lead with no limits to living with belief and trust and taking steps for all the right reasons.
