Thrive!

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.

Job 42:12

I hear some whining from older people about getting old. Maybe it’s bragging. Whatever it is, it isn’t enlightened. Job’s second season was better than his first, and the same is true for many people as they age.

Older bodies may ache more, but older, mature, seasoned, calmed, wise, tough — it’s good!

Today I worked out, relaxed at home, read, reflected, ate mostly veggies and whole grains, sent out writings for publication, hung out with my wife, fluffed my fluffy cats, shopped for healthy food and was mostly at peace with myself. I honored my body, my mind and my soul —  better than I did when I was younger.

Older is good for me.

Why? It is more, in so many ways. Old has more memories, knows more people, has more wisdom, can be more generous and has the potential to live inside a stream-polished, storm-calmed, well-seasoned self.

Old has some less in it, of course, less physical strength, less beauty, perhaps less opportunity to contribute, but it has a lot of more in it too.

Consider Job; he ended his days with more sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, sons, daughters and grandchildren, and with more awareness the value of God, health, good friends and of a humbled self.

Job was given the gift of old age. It was the gift of having lost, and gained, been lonely, then loved, of having known, and then not known.

Seasoned, for Job, was knowing what he didn’t know and knowing what he did know and of being at peace with both. The same for us.

Seasoned, like Job, tossed a bit by life, we too can make friends with our ignorance and come to peace with what we do know.

The years — they can carry us up high.

For it is aging, that brings us, like Moses, to the top of the sacred mountain, where we can see. Having been sick, we can look out and see the glory of well, having lost friends and investments, we can apprehend the value of our lasting gains, having been lonely, we can gaze from the mountain on the stunning beauty of remaining friends and family.

The latter part of life, for many of us — it is better.