A Different Perspective, Victoria Advocate
A couple of weeks ago, my daughter called to set up a trip to the beach. Due to their busy lives, three-year-old Ellie had never seen the ocean. Being a family who loves the water, the idea that one of our own didn’t know about “big water” was a problem that needed an immediate remedy. So my husband and daughter planned an excursion to the beach. The trip was perfect in every way. Our reptile-lover Annabelle found sand crabs, and Ria shopped in souvenir stores to her heart’s content. And Ellie—well, Ellie played in the sand and splashed in the “big water” with her sisters. Her young heart accepted the different environment like she was made for it. She had no fear about the new experiences and adored every minute of it.
That sweet impromptu trip became extra-special because the following weekend, my husband and I headed to Tyler, the place we had called home for twenty-one years. We’d planned to go at the end of the month, but we decided to go sooner when two tragic deaths happened in as many weeks.
It was a lovely but sad trip. First, one longtime friend died from a massive heart attack, and we attended the visitation. Then we paid our respects to another family whose grown son was killed in a car wreck, leaving behind a wife and young daughter.
Difficult but necessary.
We grieved, but not like those without hope because we believe as untimely as their deaths seemed in our eyes, God welcomed them home. Understanding takes a back seat since these situations never make sense from a human point of view. Instead, I work at trusting the One who holds life in His capable hands.
Also, while we were in Tyler, we visited a beloved friend and his wife. The conversation wasn’t easy because Alzheimer’s has ravaged his sharp mind. A couple of times, he asked his wife how old he was. (Time passes so fast, sometimes I have to think about how old I am, but the disease had stolen parts of his memory.) When she told him he was eighty-five, he flat out denied it. The second time he asked, he grimaced when we told him. He just couldn’t imagine being that old.
Don’t we look in the mirror at ourselves and wonder what happened? In our hearts, we certainly don’t feel as old as our age or appearance might suggest. We’re surprised by the passing of time and the aging process because God has put eternity in our hearts.
However mysterious, eternity in our hearts means we’re hardwired to understand we were created to live forever. Our mind picks up on that truth; hence, the disconnect between how old we feel on the inside and the actual aging process. I’m not saying there aren’t days when we don’t feel every moment of our numerical age (and then some), but there’s a reason we mostly lean toward a younger mindset.
The good news is only our physical bodies age. Our spirit, the divine part of who we are, lives forever. So the only choice is whether we will live forever with God or eternally separated from Him. All we have to do is accept that Jesus Christ paid the debt we owe. If Jesus isn’t your savior, you need to make that decision so you can live your best life here. And once you’ve taken your last breath on earth, you’ll be with Him in heaven.
Eternity is too long to be wrong.