Change

During my long lifetime I have observed and been affected by change in myself and society.  Substantive changes occurred for me beginning with birth from my mother to outer nature with immediate changes in context – changes that seem like miracles in some analyses.  The changes were developed so to make me capable of taking care of myself in a world not of my making.  Nature and society became primary in the process.  I was changed when I became a Christian so to move faith and values to the fore.  I was changed through my education that put thought before emotion so to guide life in a context of truth search pointing to understanding/wisdom.  I was changed when I married, and that deepened dramatically in responsibility on the birth of our first child.  I was changed in my professional life by the successes and failures in my performance – and that of others.  At this writing, I am living through the final personal change related to closing years of life that we call old age (suggesting decrepitude).  This is the time of motoring to the end of mortality, the vehicle drops a speed gear or two, and the person takes off to another context anticipated to a degree deeply felt in the soul.  If all finishes out as it is meant to do, we achieve maturity, spiritual and physical.  Life gestation yields to another birth as fully changed as was that from physical mother to mother nature.  I already feel the transition taking place.  Many oldsters fight it. They ought to embrace it.

I yearn to tell future generations what I have discovered that is personal and social that has meant satisfaction in life.  The most noticeable change to the mortal world is physical.  The human step at ninety plus years of age is uncertain; bodily functions are more demanding and some fade in performance; vision and hearing are impaired, perhaps lost; general appearance accents aging; and, various others factors are affected.  Drives of former passions have disappeared or reduced to neither danger nor pleasure.  The symptoms, large and small, point to physical decline to mortal end.  I have seen it in myself and in others, especially in my mother and my wife.  Each person I observed handled it in his or her own way.  Some faced the end with relief and expectation, some with fear and without hope.  I embrace this ending period.

One of the factors I have noted in this last pattern of change is boredom.  I am reluctant to discuss boredom with aging in that there may be readers who will relate boredom only to the aged.  The most bored persons I have ever met are found in the youthful generations.  They are easily bored, beginning with the abandoned toys, but have not yet entered any vision stage in their lives.  When I ask them what they want to do with their lives, I already know the answer I am likely to get: I dunno!  Even those receiving rather good parenting and educations often say: I dunno!  I am lifted when I see smiles on their faces and energy, when some say: I dunno, but I am going to find out.  Almost always my heart tells me: That kid is going to make it.  (Usually I give that future life a copy of my book on goals.)  Some answer as though they don’t care.  They give the matter little effort, and they know they want to live long don’t want to grow old.

We are concerned here with those finishing out the last lap of mortal life – a period that may be long or short as we mortals evaluate time periods. The view at the beginning will not be the view at the end, and that largely affected by changes.  Those who have taken charge of their lives and plan will likely fare considerably better than those who wait to see what will happen by accident.  Accidental life sometimes works out, but percentages are poor.  Those who plan may not make the goal because of ill health, or tragedy, or some other pressure, but the percentages are poor for the neglectful.  For those who managed themselves, the retirement period becomes a pleasant sunset.  The order is built into physical life.  Whatever traveling is desired should come early in the retirement years, and planned well.  Learning ought to continue as a means of satisfaction.  Care and mentoring of family members keeps the youthful juices alive.  Find a game to play alone.  Remember old age is made for prayer and humor.  The order of life should be simplified, and readiness for ultimate change fully appreciated.  Affirmation belongs to us.