My ancestors were what I would call, true pioneers.  They trudged across country with horses and covered wagons to begin a new life.  The women gathered buffalo chips to start campfires – did their laundry in a muddy river or rippling stream – cooked over an open fire -sweat alongside their husbands as they built a new frontier. Men hunted for dinner and children worked hard too.  They weren’t served from a silver platter or given anything they wanted just because they felt worthy of it.  These folks didn’t have time or energy to get involved in shady dealings.  By the end of the day, they were exhausted from hard work.

There were those who took advantage of the run for land that occurred when settlers made their way across the mountains and prairies to stake their claim and build a future. The evildoers who profited from the railroads and building of cities were part of that time as well. We still have pioneers, who plan their retirement years in wilderness areas. They might sell all their belongings and move to a place they have dreamed of living all their working years. The same challenges still exist for these new, elderly pioneers.

Whether we settle in places that are isolated from civilization – or decide to move to a senior high rise, we are all going through a metamorphic time. It’s all about how you want to finish the rest of your life. Aging doesn’t automatically mean you’re on your way out. You’re just taking a new path – a road less traveled perhaps.

Times change and our pioneers of old are indeed a thing of the past, but new inroads are being made every day.  Progress in so many areas of life have occurred in just my lifetime. Things that we thought would never change, are happening faster than we can imagine. We have instant everything today. Our minds can walk through history via the internet. Our food can be purchased and delivered with the snap of a finger. We can navigate through science, discovery, education and still have time to play video games.

I hope we never lose the ability to interact – to communicate face to face – to fellowship with friends – to share God’s love with others, through our talents and time. Progress often comes with resistance. The thought of electric cars was unthinkable a hundred years ago. I wonder what it will be in a hundred years from now.