When we’re limited by our age, by our health, our thinking, we tend to hold back on things we might still be able to do. I’m learning this more and more each day. Yesterday, a simple task of picking up sticks and putting them in a wheelbarrow, was nearly impossible. The air quality has been an issue all summer. My physical self is growing old and full of creaks and groans, so putting myself into that position was really silly. Still, the sticks needed to be picked up so the lawn could be cut. I also needed to get myself off the couch, before I started growing eyes on my backside. (Subtle couch potato humor.) Getting the wheelbarrow turned over and moved to where it needed to be, was a task in itself. By the time I got that done, I was gasping for air. OK, I over-dramatize a little. It’s in my nature to do so. I began coughing. So, I decided I better return to the air-conditioned house.

There are often extenuating circumstances, which cause us to be wise about our limitations. When you get older, those limitations can cause you to think of a million reasons why you shouldn’t be doing something. As you age, you need to be responsible for your own safety and use common sense and caution. I wouldn’t consider getting on a skateboard. I certainly wouldn’t go water skiing. I would never consider jumping out of an airplane. When it comes to picking up sticks, I thought that was an easy enough task for me to handle.

Wisdom is supposed to come with aging, but often we forget what we can or cannot do. We rely on others to handle various tasks. We feel less important when we can’t accomplish things on our own. We have to admit that we aren’t as young as we used to be. However, we can’t stop living. If we become glued to a chair in front of a TV, we’re not serving any real purpose and God wants us to have fruitful lives – even in our senior years. I think it’s important for all of us to find things in life that give us a sense of purpose. Throw in a little fun along with that purpose and you are filling your days with a reason to get up each morning. With the shortness of the average age span, we need to continue living with a bit of gusto.

I’ll leave the sticks for another day. They aren’t going anywhere anyway. When I decide to do the job, I will not be competing with the air quality or temperatures. Maybe I’ll just wait until fall, and they will turn into mulch for next year.