Better With Age

By Pat

I have recently re-established contact with a couple of friends I have known since childhood, both of whom are devout Christians. In the past several months we have been praying for one another about the various problems we are facing now, and it has been just wonderful to connect with these ladies. I am so thankful that God has orchestrated this reunion. We are so much the same in many ways as when we were young...and yet so different. And the big difference is...age.

Society places so much emphasis on youth that it has become almost an embarrassment to show signs of aging. We are encouraged to buy expensive wrinkle creams, have our gray hair colored, and exercise to the point that we exhaust ourselves in our attempts to have the bodies and faces of young people. There are some women who become almost unrecognizable due to the many surgeries they have had so that they can maintain the appearance of youth, and I think it's very sad.

The things that make me where I am today in my faith walk and enable me to be more effective to God, are the experiences I have had along the way, and the struggles I have faced, the fears I have conquered, and the reliance on God that has grown stronger and stronger. My friends are the same way. We can now reach out and help one another in a much different way than we could have when we were younger. Our age has taught us valuable lessons, and we can now share these with one another in a richer, deeper way. We have learned patience, and that God's timing and ours do not usually coincide...and that's okay. We have learned that prayer and faith are the keys to getting along in life, and that the bond of friendship is one of the most wonderful gifts God has given us.

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