Getting Old and Death

As strange as this topic seems, our mortality is something that everybody must face. First, let's talk about getting old.

Since my own age is 66, I know that I am in the last 25% of my life. I don't feel old but there are definite signs that the wheels are coming off of the wagon. My mind tells me to do things, but my ass, feet, and legs sing a different tune. More often than not, my will power to get off my duff is not strong enough to overcome my body's objections. This article may not represent what other males my age are going through, but most can probably relate to my experiences.

Some of the aggravations that you do not have to face in your youth are things like an enlarged prostrate. An enlarged prostrate makes going pee a real challenge. My doctor's remedy of course, is a pill. Taking a pill is head and shoulders above taking 5 minutes to do what used to take 30 seconds. Even at the end of 5 minutes there is a good chance that you haven't completely emptied your bladder, so you know that in a couple of hours you will be right back in the same boat. This adventure is especially aggravating at night when you want to sleep.

Sex or the lack thereof is another matter that is distressing in advanced age. Oh sure, you still get naughty thoughts while admiring a pretty young lady. But deep in your heart, you know that your debonair days are behind you. Even with one of the miracle pills to ward off an erection failure, stamina and health are real concerns. But you still have your memories. Some you share, while others remain deep within.

More than ever, the benefits of exercise become apparent. Staying healthy becomes more important than in the past as we strive to avoid the unavoidable.

Retirement is a wonderful part of your life. I don't think anybody is enjoying retirement more than I do. Having free time gives you the chance to tackle the things that you wanted to do but never had time to do while making a living. Being wistful and looking back is certainly a part of getting older. I now have all of those old songs by the original artists that were important to me as a youth. Some are timeless while others seem silly now, but I still listen to them and mentally relive some of the good times that I associate with those songs. Advice on retirement, save and retire as early as possible. Do not use up all of your good years in the pursuit of other peoples goals.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the real prospect of dying. All of us know that our days are numbered, but when we are young, we don't take it too serious. But as the years go by, and death gets closer, we have to face the inevitable. For those who have taken a pass on religion, you might begin to think that religion is worth a second look.

Death is that black abyss that we can't define. Have you ever been to a funeral and touched the deceased? That cold lifeless form in the coffin is nothing like the person who once was. What happens when we die? For those of us who are Christian, we believe that God has a place for us. But what happens to everybody else?

The inspiration for writing this piece came from watching the History Channel. The program was about solving the location of Sodom and Gomorrah. The first half hour, they quoted scripture and showed different places around the cities location such as Lott's Cave. They showed the cities, destroyed and burned by a calamitous event that parallels the biblical description. The second half of the show was completely different. For half an hour, they tried to explain away the biblical version and inserted their own educated version of the events that transpired. The whole show was nothing but a pretext to plant doubt in the minds of their viewers about the veracity of the bible.

To what end I asked myself. Why is it important to destroy people's faith? The answer is that it is a cultural thing. Liberalism cannot tolerate any authoritative competition, especially from God. The Holy Bible teaches that there is right and a wrong. It teaches that there is a way to live your life and have joy by following a few simple rules. There is also a warning that disobedience to these rules brings death. Think about it. Because of a willingness of followers of Christ to live their lives in harmony and in obedience to Christ's teachings, our whole society is the benefactor. Because Christianity teaches that there is right and wrong, our transgressions haunt us. Our conscience will not give us a break when we do the wrong thing.

What do you think would happen in this society if there were only secular laws to maintain order? The police force would have to be enormous and too much of societies energies would be wasted just preventing chaos.

Some of the questions about dying that have occurred to me may be the sort of questions that you have. Will I die whimpering and sniveling or as someone with dignity and courage? Will death be a blessed release from some awful disease or some freak accident? Will those around me mourn my passing or think, "Good riddance". Is there really a next world? Will I see loved ones who have passed before me? Should I dread dying? There are too many questions to ask.

But there is only one answer. Accepting Christ without reservation will bring you peace and the courage to accept your fate. None of the nagging questions about death can steal your joy and cause you consternation if you only accept Christ as your Savior.

Cheers,

-Robert-