It was bad enough when a woman of a certain age complimented me for looking 'dapper'. I thought only snappily dressed elderly gents were called that. Now people I haven't seen for a while ask me if I have already retired, or when I'm going to. For the record, I'm still the right side of 60 (just), and don't intend to stop working anytime soon. Nonetheless, I seem to have crossed an invisible line and suddenly become an older man. At least in the eyes of others.
This was exacerbated the other week when my boy racerish Vauxhall Corsa developed a fault, and the repair garage gave me an ‘vintage’ Honda Jazz as a courtesy car. Twice on a short journey, I was cut up at roundabouts. Other drivers obviously thought it would take an age for me to get anywhere near them, so they chanced it. The cheek.
Nothing against older people, of course. I just didn’t expect to become one quite so soon. But the prospect of ageing doesn't mean it's all downhill from now on. Yes, a certain amount of physical and even mental deterioration can be expected with the advancing years, but old age can still be a time of spiritual growth and ripening fruitfulness.
I have known believers who became frail and housebound in old age, yet even with the advancing years they were full of faith, hope, and love. Spending time with them put me in mind of words found in one of the psalms,
The righteous will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’ (Psalm 92:14-15)
* For various local publications
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