Reading Glasses

It’s happening. I don’t even try to hide the gray; it comes back faster and brings extra strands with the arrogance of a bully showing who has the more powerful friends. There is a pair of reading glasses on almost every flat surface in each room of our house but they are not all mine. It’s often like a game of aging musical chairs, but instead of rushing to find an open chair we are grabbing for the open pair of glasses left on the table. I realized that it’s just downright dangerous not being able to read whether a switch says “on” or “off,” whether a price tag says “$10” or “18,” or whether the menu says “squash” or “squid.” I’ve wondered if we should offer extra reading glasses in the same manner we provide assisted listening devices for worship services. “Why would you want lisping devices???” Yep, the hearing is making for some creative conversations. Even though my friend and I still use the stairs at work as much as we can, there’s a certain amount of wincing and stiffness as we lumber up the flights or plod down. I was on the floor today organizing computer cables and I tried to show my co-worker how I used to prefer to sit on the floor with my knees together and each ankle at the outside of the hip. Well that position lasted about 2 seconds and then I had to unfold, never gracefully, back to side-saddle. For 20 years time left me alone, and now it thinks we’re BFF.
"You can judge your age by the amount of pain you feel when you come in contact with a new idea." – Pearl S. Buck

My prayer for the congregation?

Eternal God, You are as old as creation and as young as the next breath. You are revealed through ancient crooks and bends of river erosion and you are as spontaneous as the flicker of the breeze. Help us to keep our minds supple and yielding to your will, and mindful of actual shifting limitations that surprise even ourselves. May the circle of life be evident in our community filled with youthful wonder and learned elders, energetic activities and calming motions, spontaneous growth and staged planning, each enriching each other. Let us celebrate the uniqueness of each person and rejoice as each melds within a collective community responding to your call. Sometimes we may need glasses of discernment to see more clearly what is out of focus. Supply a healing balm for the aches and soreness as we exercise the body of our congregation to keep agile for your mission. Let our ideas be shaped by your dreams and truthful to your direction. Amen.