A Glimpse Of Old Age

FRI., OCT. 16, 1998, 10:11 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM

This morning you were up early, doing your chores and readying yourself for a time with Elmer, your former Dean, and a group of the elderly, who once were faculty here. It was a pleasant event, with you seeing yourself as at least average… and perhaps a bit above… in the aging process. But because you are one of the younger Emeritus folk you could look at some of the older ones and speculate how you will be… in the future.

Being elderly can be a pleasant, rewarding time of life… OR… it can be a time of such losses that it becomes more of a chore than a pleasure. And, of course, it can, and usually is, some of both. As God and as Holy Spirit I have had no direct experiences with time, with aging, with losses. (I find it interesting that some of you Christians think, and even talk, of Me as maturing in My New Testament Self, not as angry and vengeful, more loving, forgiving, and accepting. Oh, there is some truth in such an observation, but it is not a critical one. I can still be the Old Testament God when this is appropriate.) As Jesus, My role as “sacrificial Lamb” was more important than growing older and teaching as one who had experienced more of earth life. Yes, that could have been helpful, too. It just isn’t possible to accomplish two (or more) quite different goals in one earth life… in time and space.

How do I feel about old age… as One Who has not aged? My answer is related to the earlier Teaching this week on Me as an adaptable Spirit. Being a successful oldster requires some extreme adaptation, usually. Those who adapt well, and quickly, are the most successful and happiest among the elderly. And, remember, adapting has all of the facets of good, positive health.

Physical adapting is partly a matter of strength and body capacities, partly a matter of preparation, of genetic strengths and weaknesses, and of chance. There are plenty of external organisms that can cause infection and disease. Certain body parts “wear out” sooner than others. There are multiple threats that, together, can’t be overcome as easily as facing each, one at a time. So, Bill O’Brien, strong of body, as an athlete, coach, and Marine, now must be elderly as one with brain cells that do not work as they once did.

Mentally he can no longer adapt as he did as a young man. It is the sad fate for one who was once strong, agile, and mentally sharp. (How would I have been as Jesus of 72 years… or of 172 years… or of 900+ years? Would I have given a clearer, more reinforced story of how I wanted earth life to be, or would some of My later proclamations been seemingly counter to some that now are Holy Scripture?) In your culture it is necessary to adapt to new ways of thinking and new technologies in order to “keep up”. Or, if you don’t choose to adapt to life with a computer, how do you adapt as one who chooses not to have this form of literacy?

Emotionally you have to adapt to losses and to “being elderly”. Can you be happy with who you are and with life that can only be partly determined by your will and choices? Socially, it is easier to function with groups that require little adaptation. You are not as willing, as you once were, to adapt to new groups, with people you don’t truly know. Environmentally, you have the task of adapting to what needs to be done on a place as large and sometimes demanding as your (Our) Farm. Should you adapt to fence deterioration by methodically fixing it all now… or wait until the breakthrough and “escape” has happened. These are different sorts of adaptation.