The Sentinel, Old Age Ain't Bad 210413

      Being old doesn’t make us totally the opposite of being young. We have up days and down days as do young folks. Old people have had a lot of time to get to know themselves as they are. Young people know what they think they are and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, unless they grow old never learning their true selves.

       There are frequent times when I think of all the 18 year-old men who served our country in WW-2, Korean War and the Vietnam War who never lived beyond 18, never got to legally buy a cold beer, never got to have a family, never got to grow old. And then there are those who survived combat, but their lives were ruined from the war. I don’t mean to be flip about it, but the only way I can express it is that they were no longer playing with a full deck.

      Now I am blessed with a long and good life, with a good wife and family. One happy thing is seeing babies born and watching them mature through their lives. I was there when our daughter was born, I was overcome with joy as the nurse counted her 10 fingers and 10 toes. I remember laying on the floor for naps with that precious young creature on my chest. That is the picture above. It was great for both of us. Of course Joyce had to monitor the whole thing in case I would roll over and send the kiddo tumbling. Now that kiddo is, let’s just say over 50 and is a good, mature woman. I was there for our granddaughter and held her close to my heart when she was just moments old. Now she’s grown tall, but she is still close to my heart all of the time.

      I thank God every day for the blessings I have received and pray for those who never had a life after war.