Short Stories

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JOY AND WISDOM OF GROWING OLD

“Watch out, be on your guard against all kind of greed; a
man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 (N.I.V.)

My first experience as a Geriatric nurse consisted of watching one of God’s saints take her last breath of life. Although she had fought a battle with Cancer, she left this world with a smile on her face. With tears in my eyes I stared at her lifeless body and wandered why we waste so much time accumulating material possessions, only to have them devoured by others. The best part of ourselves
that we can leave behind is memories and this saint left many good memories in her community and the nursing home.
“You’ll get hardened to it,” said my co-worker as we
walked out of the room and down the hall.
“I hope I never do,” I replied.
I am retired from nursing now, but thank God that in the nineteen years of my nursing Ministry with its frustrations and burn outs I didn’t become as she put it, “Hardened.”
In my older age I’ve come to terms with my own death, and material things have become less important, because I realize that I’m getting closer to my Heavenly home.
I have precious memories of these folks in their golden years, and some have gone on, but all their hugs, “Thank you,” and “I love you,” made my work worthwhile. I’ve watched the old grow older and the elderly fade away, and it is then that I understand the words, “Life is only a vapor.”
My neighbor’s husband said these words to her on his dying
bed. “We’ve been together many years; yet it seems like a passing dream.”
There are so many things that I could have done different and I know that I can’t turn
back the hands of time, but I can enjoy life as it is given to me now, one day at a time.


There are so many things in life that we can enjoy without cost; such as sitting on the lakeside, or walking through the park watching the Master’s creation, and we can also thank God for every day of life, but most of all we can thank Him for the little things in life that bring us joy and happiness. Become a carefree child for a day and take time just to smell the flowers. When we can see the beauty in all of God’s creation we will enjoy life to its fullest. This is the joy and wisdom of growing old gracefully, and leaving many good memories behind.

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