This is tongue in cheek so take it as a grain of salt.
First, you are not old so you cannot wear the mantle of curmudgeon. Maybe it is me but I conclude that as you get older you will notice that your tolerance for annoyance will rapidly decrease! Even what annoys you will spread out to an even larger spectrum of things! It is not like you want it to but it does! You will like to be kinder, and more engaged but desire and ability diverge as you age. I like psalm 1. When the psalmist talks about a tree planted by the waters edge he follows that they produce fruit in season. Maybe, for the aged their season is not over but has changed, old men dream dreams. Furthermore the psalm is drawing a contrast between the ungodly, the scorners and the godly.
To put a point on it, as time weighs it's heavy hand upon us it takes diligence and being more selective about what you address and engage. Even then I find myself crying out for mercy just performing simple tasks and isolating from what, in the past, was a joy (e.g. my toddlers banging around the house). Again, it is not what I desire, it just happens :-)!
Fifty-?
Ifty thee are fifty
There's a gifty
To uplift thee
For it's nifty
To be fifty
So don't be thrifty!
But
In this golden time
Embolden
And joyfully beholden
The blessings of your soul then.
(I played "76 trombones" for my birthday yesterday, and at that age,
I now have no shame in writing a silly poem for my Pastor's birthday.)
Hi Nathan
This is tongue in cheek so take it as a grain of salt.
First, you are not old so you cannot wear the mantle of curmudgeon. Maybe it is me but I conclude that as you get older you will notice that your tolerance for annoyance will rapidly decrease! Even what annoys you will spread out to an even larger spectrum of things! It is not like you want it to but it does! You will like to be kinder, and more engaged but desire and ability diverge as you age. I like psalm 1. When the psalmist talks about a tree planted by the waters edge he follows that they produce fruit in season. Maybe, for the aged their season is not over but has changed, old men dream dreams. Furthermore the psalm is drawing a contrast between the ungodly, the scorners and the godly.
To put a point on it, as time weighs it's heavy hand upon us it takes diligence and being more selective about what you address and engage. Even then I find myself crying out for mercy just performing simple tasks and isolating from what, in the past, was a joy (e.g. my toddlers banging around the house). Again, it is not what I desire, it just happens :-)!
End of rant.
You always write meaningful notes and it’s so good to hear you’re turning 50 as you’re not old yet, like I am!!