IT IS BETTER TO HAVE LOVED...

 

I’ve never been a senior citizen before. I’ve never experienced life as a seventy- seven-year-old either. Let me tell you it is an interesting and often terrifying time.

Among my many new discoveries are ailments and pains in places I never even knew I had places. Eating the common foods of my entire life suddenly throws off my blood sugar and cause alarm bells to go off at my doctor’s office. A walk to the mailbox has become a tortuous journey. An afternoon nap, which used to be quite rare, has almost become a necessity. Bette Davis said it clearly, “Getting old ain't for sissies.” I can remember running all over the mountains chasing deer and elk, or wading beautiful streams in search of the elusive trout. But, alas, no more.

Another thing which has become much too common is learning of ailments and sickness of old friends and loved ones. As a younger man I witnessed my parents go through this and now it is my turn. Just in the last few months I learned of a cancer diagnosis for a sister, two sisters-in-law, and an old friend of over fifty years. Fortunately, today all are doing okay with their treatments and getting well.

Just today though, I learned of the death of the husband of a dear friend of over fifty years. God rest Pat’s soul.

All of this points me to the inevitable conclusion that one of the penalties of living to an old age is having to say goodbye to old friends and loved ones. So now I am working on this philosophy, it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. It is better to have known and loved our friends and family than to have never had them in our lives. I know sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes you might say, if I had never known that person, I wouldn’t be hurting so much. Maybe, but look at what you would have missed. Let the good memories replace the pain of losing them. If you had never known them, you would have missed all the good times, the fun times, the hugs and the laughter. Be flooded by the good memories and the good times.

None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. None of us are guaranteed a life without pain. We take each day as it comes and try to accept those things which we cannot change. We take our medicine, try to watch our diets, once in a while try a little exercise but even at that there are no guarantees.

This I also believe. None of us are given more than we can handle. Sometimes it may seem impossible to deal with but we will deal with it. We will be stronger and better for having known our lost loved ones and life will go on.

To quote Tiny Tim, “God bless us, everyone.”

Ron Scarbro