PAGES Spring 2000 Editorial
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Editorial, Spring 2000 issue of PAGES:
"Looking Around Me"
Tilman R. Smith in dedicating his book, In Favor of Growing Older, thanked his wife, his children and their spouses, and his grandchildren and concludes "all of whom have made my life a joyful pilgrimage rather than a dull journey." This book is now out of print, but its wisdoms are timeless. People grow old by deserting their ideals, taught Smith. Giving up one's interest in life shrivels the soul more devastatingly than aging wrinkles the skin.
So what does this mean as we "turn" 30 (sounds like sour milk, someone quipped) and then "push 40" (stay over there), "reach" 50 (is this a destination?) before we "make it" to 60 (puff! puff!) and "hit" 70!
I heard a sobering tidbit while listening to network news — Every nine minutes another American reaches 50! And have you noticed that articles worrying about our "aging population" seem to show up in an amazing array of popular magazines? And for some reason "old-age jokes" pop up everywhere — at about the same rate as our neighbors and relatives are "reaching" for 50.
So what actually shrivels the soul? Could keeping up our "interest" be as basic as doing something specific to demonstrate our beliefs. It might require taking on a new challenge — or an unpopular stand.
Sustaining our interest in life may mean saying a difficult "yes" to meeting some need, especially one that will demand much personal time and energy. Or perhaps it is deciding to change a routine that has become a rut. Or re-directing on the way to retiring. As one who sees many receiving great blessing from participating in short-term service, I see "SOOP" as a soul-stimulant!
And renewal for the journey comes as the grace of God. I received a gift of fraktur art which reminds me of this source daily from its spot on my office wall.
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