Tuesday 24 January 2012

"Little Old Lady" - Part II


Some days I sing my own version of Kermit’s song, “It’s not that easy being old”. 

At this point I have few complaints about aging, since I have no chronic pain and can still do anything the average adult can do. But I’ve had my 60th birthday. I'm often given seniors' discounts. There’s no denying that real old age is just around the corner, assuming death doesn’t make an early appearance.
It’s hard to ignore future possibilities and sometimes they scare me.

Don’t bother reminding me that old age isn’t always a nightmare. I have a 70 year old friend who runs marathons and enters bike-a-thons; she earns her living by being a personal trainer! It’s hard to imagine that she’ll ever seem old.
But I’ve spent time visiting seniors’ homes; I’ve watched dear relatives deteriorate in horrifying ways before they died; I’ve listened to friends talk about their awful experiences of caring for aged parents. It’s hard not worry a bit.

What to do with the fear of aging?
Well, besides lecturing the world about referring to “little old ladies”, I’m basking these days in the beauty of these bountiful bible blessings and hereby bestow them on you, Beloved Blog-follower:


Listen to me,…
you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. 
Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am the one, I am the one who will sustain you. 
I have made you and I will carry you; 
I will sustain you and I will rescue you. 

Praise God…who redeems your life… and crowns you with love and compassion, 
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

The righteous [those who share God’s values] will flourish like a palm tree, 
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon… 
They will still bear fruit in old age, 
they will stay fresh [full of sap] and very green. 
(Psalms 103 & 92, Isaiah 46)

Speaking of “green”, here’s another uplifting psalm.
Kermit’s song (by Joe Raposo) 

It's not that easy bein' green
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves,
When I think it could be nicer being red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that.

It's not easy bein' green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things,
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're
Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars up in the sky.

But green's the colour of Spring
And green can be cool and friendly-like
And green can be big like an ocean
 or important like a mountain
Or tall like a tree

When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But why wonder, why wonder?
I am green and it'll do fine
It's beautiful!
 And I think it's what I want to be!

SELAH