Recently my wife and I were both noticing a whole lot more pills in the medicine chest.
Our challenge is that we know we “need” them, but we are kind of in denial that they are something we need to take just because some things seem to be “wearing out” in our bodies.
That seems to be compounded by added surgery required to fix and remove things in an effort to live a longer life. Add to that new prescriptions for eyeglasses to improve eyesight, and the frequent rubbing of aches and pains that seem to be showing up more these days.
Modern medicine is truly focused on those of us getting older. For the young I say, “don’t take it for granted that health is something that needs no maintenance”. Over time it will be a challenge, if it isn’t age it may be something else. Like a recent post I re-blogged – you need to take care of yourself regardless of age.
Which brings me to one of the most important things about growing old for me. I get to spend it with the love of my life. Going on 35 years next year, I think we have come to realize how life is precious. We love our children (all 4 of them) and wish them all the best as they grow older too. I love my wife. And as we line up the pills, and polish our glasses for better vision, and visit our doctors more often it seems than ever… we can grow old together.
Here is a song that has really captured it for me. (Leave it to me to get back to music somehow 🙂
Written by John Lennon, this is Mary Chapin Carpenters version.
Worry. There’s one thing that seems to be able to consume so much of your life in so many ways that it can become such a fixation that little else matters. Whether it involves work, your family, your friends, your health, your finances, what others think of you, what you will do today or tomorrow… and on and on.
It’s not that you can’t be concerned, that you cannot plan things and be careful to manuever those things that can get in your way. We all have to go through our lives with eyes wide open and watch for the obstacles we can avoid. But taking “worry” to a point in your life that it stops you from experiencing what God has given you is just not a good course to take.
When my wife and I had our first child, every thing had changed about worry. We would worry did he have enough to eat, enough sleep, were we paying enough attention to him? If he would sneeze we would imagine the worse and always be consulting books or family and friends.
Over the years we have learned that there are only some things we can do as parents, and we have to be concerned about our children (we love them), but we are going to leave it up to God as well. We have to plant the core-things in them that they need to make it through life, but in the end we cannot be standing next to them every step of the way.
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I know that it was something that would need God’s help. My wife has been there to help me through. Even as she has been my angel (because I believe God sent her to me so many years ago), I know that some of it is built on faith to take it one day at a time. Worry could easily consume every minute of every day.
Worry will make you older faster, it can replace the good things in front of you with an awkward view and dangerous perspective. It can consume so much of your life and in exchange repel others around you. So the end it seems, life is the experience and all that goes with it.
As Jason Mraz says below in a song about his friend who fought cancer, “The remedy is the experience.” Don’t let it control your life. Be strong.
Well i saw fireworks from the freeway And behind closed eyes I cannot make them go away ‘Cause you were born on the fourth of July, freedom ring Now something on the surface it stings I said something on the surface Well it kind of makes me nervous Who says that you deserve this And what kind of god would serve this? We will cure this dirty old disease Well if you’ve got the poison I’ve got the remedy
The remedy is the experience. This is a dangerous liaison I say the comedy is that it’s serious. This is a strange enough new play on words I say the tragedy is how you’re gonna spend The rest of your nights with the light on So shine the light on all of your friends When it all amounts to nothing in the end.
I won’t worry my life away. I won’t worry my life away.
Well i heard two men talking on the radio In a cross fire kind of reality show Uncovering the ways to plan the next big attack They were counting down the ways to stab The brother in the be right back after this The unavoidable kiss, where the minty fresh Death breath is sure to outlast this catastrophe Dance with me, because if you’ve got the poison, I’ve got the remedy
The remedy is the experience. This is a dangerous liaison I say the comedy is that it’s serious. This is a strange enough new play on words I say the tragedy is how you’re gonna spend The rest of your nights with the light on So shine the light on all of your friends When it all amounts to nothing in the end.
I won’t worry my life away. I won’t worry my life away.
When I fall in love I take my time There’s no need to hurry when I’m making up my mind You can turn off the sun but I’m still gonna shine and I’ll tell you why
Because
The remedy is the experience. This is a dangerous liaison I say the comedy is that it’s serious. This is a strange enough new play on words I say the tragedy is how you’re gonna spend The rest of your nights with the light on So shine the light on all of your friends When it all amounts to nothing in the end.
I won’t worry my life away I won’t worry my life away I won’t and I won’t and I won’t
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Mathew 6:34
I have always believed that one of the most valuable things you can posess in life is compassion. What comes of that is the heart of the Spirit that is “love,joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control.”
You want more, and still more,
Until you get more than you ever bargained for.
Now its plain, clear as rain,
I’ve seen your symptoms many times before.
Lying on your bed of pain
What will you have now?
What are riches untold in a life without compassion?
For there’s no winter as cold
as a life without compassion.
There’s no prescription that’s sold
that can heal you like compassion.
Well you tried and you cried,
And let your disappointment make you hard inside.
You have doubt, you reach out,
Still you’re the only one you care about.
Hiding in your sack of woe
What do you need now?
For there is nothing so sad
as a life without compassion.
And even love has turned bad,
it was love without compassion.
And you don’t need what you had
‘Cause you did not have compassion.
Dying on your bed of pain
What will you have now?
You’ll get no judgment from me,
I can only feel compassion.
And if that’s what you need,
I will give you my compassion.
Just don’t forget about me
‘Cause we all need some compassion.
Open up your heart
so you can start to feel compassion.
Get down on your knees,
pray to heaven for compassion.
Everybody needs compassion.
If you want to be healed
then you know you got to feel compasion
Tracks In The Dust 