“Both old and young alike ought to seek wisdom: the former in order that, as age comes over him, he may be young in good things because of the grace of what has been, and the latter in order that, while he is young, he may at the same time be old, because he has no fear of the things which are to come.” Epicurus

I’ve been thinking about the whole concept  of wisdom and aging lately.  Some things that used to bother me a lot, as a young woman, no longer seem important.  The fear of failure, the agony of defeat, all the stuff that we put so much importance into, is like King Solomon’s reference to chasing the wind.

I’ve learned a few things in my almost 82 years of growing up.  I realize that worry doesn’t accomplish anything.  It just gives you more wrinkles.  God tells us to place our troubles on Him, but for women, it seems difficult to let go of our worries.  I guess it’s a mother thing.  I’ve learned that God has a plan laid out for our lives – in spite of our efforts to do our own thing. I’ve seen doors close in my lifetime, only to have more important and better doors open.  I’ve witnessed the passion of a young marriage, grow into a more sedate lifestyle, yet one that is full and rich in countless ways.  I’ve watched my children and grandchildren grow into responsible adults and am amazed at how God is working in their lives. I see history repeating itself – the same mistakes being made over and over again – a future that appears all too dark, yet a sparkle of light at the end of the tunnel.  Being optimistic is so much a part of being wise.  Knowing there is an end in sight gives us hope and we need a ton of that.

The importance of growing older is that our minds are filled with countless facts.  We grow physically, mentally, spiritually.  We make mistakes.  We stumble.  We fall.  We pick ourselves up and do it again and again.  Life can be a series of frustrations if we don’t learn from each of those road blocks.

For some of us it takes longer to figure that out.  Maybe that’s why I’m still here.  Wisdom will never be completely achieved until after death, when we walk with God on a personal basis – when our prayers turn into one-on-one conversations – when eyes become opened, and all the truth of life will become completely apparent.  I can’t wait for that day.