Monday, February 29, 2016

Old

The Mystery within...
"You look old," said a precocious young boy as he got off the school bus at Riveredge Nature Center where I was volunteering as a Teacher Naturalist.  At first I didn't know how to respond but then I asked him, "Is old good?"  Now it was his turn to pause and reflect.  He didn't answer right away either, but lucky for him, and me, he did say, "Yes."  The lesson plan for that warm fall morning was Sensitizing—creating a sense of wonder and awe by engaging the children in using their eyes, ears, nose, touch and taste in exploring and caring for the natural world around them.  In little Joey's and my exchange we also engaged our hearts.  Our encounter occurred in 2004.  Joey would be a teenager today.  I wonder how he and I would react to one another now, twelve years later.

My thoughts went back to "You look old," when a friend sent me a link to a blog site titled WOW:  Women's Older Wisdom.  It led me to remember old is good.  In my past 72 years I've had ample opportunity to learn from my mistakes, which helps me be more accepting of the mistakes of others, but I also know there will always be more learning opportunities for me.   Now, when I am having a particularly bad day, I can be confident when I go to sleep at night things will be different in the morning.  Maybe not better, but at least different.  And although I have growing physical limitations, through the years I have gradually learned to leave behind restrictions imposed by others.  Would I want to be young again?  I don't think so.  It was a lot of hard work to get where I am.  But I also know keeping up in a changing world is work that never ends.  Creating a sense of awe and wonder that engages hearts is a fascinating work I hope to do until the day I die.

Nature's web of life includes us and our interactions.  I invite you to connect with my readers and me and to leave comments, even precocious ones.  They can make us all better.  Instructions on "How to Comment" electronically can now be found on the top bar above each post within www.godneverhurries.com.  If the commenting instructions aren't clear, let us know.  The challenge of a changing world begs we engage and interact with one another.


What if pause, reflect and share became a part of our every day?

No comments :

Comment