A Prudent Man's Guide to Old Age

Forget right now the noise about "The Golden Years". That is prelude to merchandise of one kind or another. I choose to talk about what actually has faced me in reaching the midst of my 88th year of existence.

Dealing with the inconvenient intrusion of death into best laid plans is part of my resume. Those of you younger than I may write these words off as scare tactics.  I don't do fiction. 

If you need fiction go to the television screen. 

Continue the Journey

Today JMN challenged me to write on Continuing the Journey. On reason probably was that here in the midst of the 87th year of life this man two decades younger that I is showing respect by giving me a challenge. Another possible reason may be that he is just plain curious. I would not call it voyeurism but it smacks of the universal curiosity about people different than myself. So here is an off-the-cuff piece of writing, warts and all.

1. Am I moving along on a journey or is the landscape/peoplescape moving past me? Certainly the culture of now is radically different than that of 87 some years ago. So the culture scape is moving while I am the personification of the past. They say, "Don't dwell in the past!".  How can I avoid being in the past since I am the past?  I really do not think that psychoanalysis or medications can accomplish much anything other than destroy me. That seems a pointless effort. Don't worry anyhow, I will soon be beyond and at least I will not be a bother to those dedicated to fixing.

2. Within myself I sense a moving current of change that simply cannot lead to other than me being in the Beyond.  The price of aging of the human body/mind differs person to person only in degree. Muscle strength, mental acuity, sensory organs such as eyes and ears degrade. Response to stimuli is increasingly limited. This process does not ask permission but simply arrives. Then a person has to decide whether to make desperate efforts to extend life no matter the cost to family, community, government and the environment. On the other hand one can count up the blessings, relationships and accomplishments and bid adieu. 

3. The place of religion makes a difference. I am Christian.  The notion of the Creator as a refuge is elemental to the faith. Whatever the nature of that refuge may be we know not. A sense of meaning is at the heart of looking forward.  Having accompanied my true love Joan through Memory Loss to the Beyond, I know something of the sense of evil leading to triumph in the story of life for some of us. Events on the Journey simply happen and we respond as best we can. 

4. So concludes this first response to "continuing the journey".  Until we meet again....Love is our linking hope.
Delton

Is God a Committee? Or a Singular Event with no Variation?

Is God a Committee?

This question came up on Tuesday in a group meeting. A question out of thin air. There it was like a whisp of a cloud. Not enough energy looking for a thunder storm of debate. Just a distant shape in the exploring human mind.

The ultimate meaning of all things is either singular or a process of being shaped by forces beyond our comprehension. Who said that?

What do think? Does it make any difference?  Presently I vote for the process of a committee?  But what do I know!

 I will say no more in this post. If courage arrives in my mailbox, I may pick this up at a more convenient time.  In keeping with full disclosure, I am a Christian of sorts. My calling card is ignorance. 

Delton

 

A View from the 87th Year of Life

 

For some time I have been complaining that little is being written from the viewpoint of persons over 85 years of age.  I am in my 87th year. Events and education challenge me to use the unique place of life where I find myself coupled with communication technology of 2015 to begin reporting information based on experience now.

My audience is global and my experience is anecdotal. I hope to innovate in the realm of older old age

 I begin with the Blogger platform since this is what I know best. Other platforms may prove to be more useful through experience. 

What has my attention today is that a woman who lives across the street in the Independent Living Community where I live passed on two weeks ago and I learned of it today. That is inexcusable and needs examination.

If this happens in an Independent Living Community, what of the greater community where individuals are even less visible? 

The general dearth of information from within this age group is because we have not used our skills and time to do what needs to be done. This experiment has begun as of May 12, 2015. And is being continued as of today February 16, 2016

Delton

 

Religion now a hot item

For some time religion has been looked at as a boring subject in secular societies such as the USA.  That situation is being challenged in 2015 as the year begins with terrorist activities in France and other places on the globe. There is a growing realization that societies are based on thought systems and ideologies.  There are conflicting interest that involve violence, offensive media exploits and political scrambling.

My view is that religions are of paramount importance to the vast majority of the global human family. Try using a broad definition of religion in order to make sense of what I am saying as I try to figure out what I believe in the light of the news of the day.

Forget the institutional formats for a moment and turn attention to the ways people have of dealing with the critical events of life. Birth, marriage and death have for centuries been enveloped in the rituals of religions.  Religion gives a wider context to critical turns in mundane continuing necessities of living a human existence with meaning. 

I am contemplating writing a document on the present day passions of religions around the world. This is a here and now project made possible by media such as this blog. The title will be announced shortly.  Meanwhile note the news stories that touch on religion.
Delton

Choosing First Words

First words of the morning.  First words of a conversation.  First words of an informal greeting. First words of a presentation. First words of the evening greeting to self as sleep happens. This is what we do in the course of every day.

"How are you!" is the usual informal greeting. It all sounds so innocent and throw away. Something I have learned is that a person being greeted may well be having a really bad day and now how to respond to this intrusive greeting?  One may wish to say " None of your business!" or "Let me tell you about this terrible thing happening in our family!".  The person doing the greeting expects to hear " Just fine, how are you?"  And thus a standoff is created with both parties trying to get this all over as soon as possible.

This may well be the reason "Hello!" was created. Little confrontation there. It says "I see you and you see me."  Conversation not demanded. An opening to conversation may be appropriate or both parties may go on their way.

The creator of the first words of a presentation needs to remember that the first ten seconds or so are given to orientation by the listener. "Who is this, what am I about to hear, and is this worth my attention."  Then attention to meaning may or may not happen.

First words of the day may be the hardest of all. They often set the tone of the day. There is not much time to think.  If one can have presence of mind at such a time, the brain often brings up something that really does need attention this day. At least remember the mental suggestion and make a note of it. So I intend and sometimes do this usually to good effect.

Choosing Your Last Words

Consider that your or my last words may happen in the midst of a conversation when a heart attack or stroke takes us away. How troubling to have an obituary when it is noted that his last words were a harsh complaint about another person or despair in the face of political paralysis in the nation or a curse word.  It gives one something to think about. Perhaps that is why public obituaries rarely if ever include last words. 

I have been thinking about this during today.  Many of us wander on about the weather and the holes in the streets and the gnats when in public conversation.  Then conversations can veer off into gossip or some serious personal issues or opinions about the world around.

As a male I can assure you that some of us do use expletives on occasion. When in a terminal state most social niceties are set aside. I will let you fill in the blank space after, "Oh............."

Dealing with this possibility means preparation. Many of us wish to have some hand in how we will be remembered at our final departure.

1. The first step is to remind self that a sudden interruption of conscious life could happen to this person.

2. Think of words that you would like to say. Be brief.

3. Write the words down on paper and/or in the computer, smart phone, ipad or other device that you find helpful.

4. Practice using the words by repeating them to yourself and then using them in conversation. You may be surprised at your own inward reaction.  If someone asks what you are up to, tell them right up front.

5.  My words are based on many years experience as a clergy person frequently dealing with death, its circumstances and aftermath.

6. Give the last words idea a try. It can't hurt.