Saturday, January 28, 2006

The Cultural Rut

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest- Proverbs 6:9-10.

Wherefore he saith (in Isaiah 60:1), Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light (Ephesians 5:14).


This is one of the biggest pitfalls of the 'over 30' life. Life used to be full of adventure, a new happening every day. Burn the midnight oil and experience, experience, experience. Then suddenly you become one of those the twenty somethings can't trust.

Habit takes over; you've been there, done that; it has lost its joy. Welcome to middle age (a relative term! I know some octogenarians that have more life than some teenagers).

Anyway you have that sinking feeling that life is passing you by; you can't sleep as late as you used to, have to get to work. That means you can't celebrate half the night like the 'good ole days'.

It's a rude awakening! But the good book says wake up!!, and it doesn't mean wake up to go to work. It means wake up to LIFE, a life that you haven't known to this point.

A beautiful sunrise is worth any amount of drinking and/or smoking. It endures; it's something you'll remember when all the rest of that twenties stuff has become just a gray haze. You'll especially remember it if you're still with that person you enjoyed it with years ago.

At my age it's inconceivable to go thru life without a companion that you've shared things with beside 'celebrating' with. I feel so sorry for people trying to live by themselves.

Well what can I say? You'll never believe that being older is better until you have experienced it, but you will-- most certainly if you follow the path of truth.

You have my blessing and God's.

7 comments:

Jon said...

Rude awakening, indeed!

But how wonderful!

twila said...

And this is just why you are such an inspiration to me. I can look at your zest for life and inquiring mind and feel a true hope for the next half century to come!!

Larry Clayton said...

My zest comes largely from the gifted and loving people it's been my privilege to be associated with, such as Jon and Twyla.

Also the concerns about which I write. I suspect the large concern raised recently will occupy my posts to a large extent. I'm think first of writing on prayer. As Shakespeare pointed out in The Tempest, it's usually a last resort, but it need not be; it should not be. It should be the soul of life. I have some fantastic stories to tell about prayer.

Well, blessings to all; I pray for all of you greater and greater zest as you go through life; that's God's gift and intention for all of us.

Paul said...

I spent 25 years in a horrible, horrible marriage. I was single for almost 10 years and have been remarried for almost 6 years. I've lived more in the last six years then I did in the previous 35. I find myself looking at my wife's hair as it greys and her hands as they age and I feel gratitude that I will grow older with her.

I've been inspired by you and I'm looking forward to following your example of reading, learning and sharing with others.

Yes, being older is better and celebrating life with a companion is wonderful!

Larry Clayton said...

Thank you, Paul; it's so good to meet a kindred spirit like you.

Malcolm said...

Wonderfully uplifting post. Thanks.

Cheney08 said...
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