Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

As one grows old, one receives many opportunities to be reborn as old things wear out, new things are given.  As we see less, we begin to look over more.  As we hear less, we are more forgiving.  “Oh well” comes to mind more and more as we accept the things we can do nothing about.  As we slow down, we give up more of the horizon and see more of the earth beneath our feet.  We sit more, so we see more.  We are cold more so we hold each other more.  We have more time, so we begin to love more, pray more, and allow empathy, sympathy, and caring to take up a greater amount of our feelings.  Getting old is a tough role to play; it's like when all your children were small and needed constant attention and care.  Being old requires constant attention because so much of our body is vying for our attention. Remember when your small child used to stand beside you and say, “Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! That’s how your old body does, Hey! Hey! Hey! it says. 

I once read a book about a hiker who, because of a hiking accident, had to live with constant pain.  He eventually realized pain was the only way he knew most of his body existed.  His example was when your fingertips get cold, you are suddenly aware you have fingertips.  Being old is the only way we will ever know much of who we are, and of many of life's goodnesses.  

The cicadas were out in 
force this year at Fair Haven