I want to commend you for your courage in reading this blog entitled Silverstrand: Faith through aging eyes. Especially since your secret is that you feel like you are just “getting started.” 

Do you remember the first time someone gave you the impression that you were an older person?  Has anyone ever said or done anything to indicate to you that, in his or her eyes, you were moving right along with the aging process? 

A couple of weeks ago, the person who coordinates the prison ministry at our church told me she needed an elderly Christian for a one time visit to an inmate. At first I thought she wanted me to find her someone and then it slowly dawned on me that she wanted me. 

Sometimes the message is mixed.  A few years ago I took a trip to Mali, Africa that required a number of vaccinations. When the travel clinic nurse realized I did not have immunity to measles she said that, because of my age, I would have to get special permission from my doctor. I felt offended but went ahead and got the permission she wanted. Then, when I came for the shots, I was asked to sign a waiver stating I would not get pregnant for 28 days!!!!! 

Aging is not an easy topic in our culture. Just looking at birthday cards tells us that people don’t know what to say. It’s quite amazing how many things our advertisers say we could buy to interrupt or even reverse our aging and yet time is rather relentless in its pursuit. 

What have you experienced that lets you know that others see you as getting older even though older to you means “they” and not “we?”