Minor Adjustments by Dr. Juan Harrison
Minor Adjustments
Getting older provides us with a mixed bag. Most things are harder, like opening pickle jars and removing cellophane from little bottles. On the other hand, life’s a little simpler as filters tend to come off, and we have a clearer picture of what we like and don’t.
It’s easy to find yourself frustrated more frequently as our physical skills decline. I need more light now to see things clearly. Seems like different manufacturers delight in hiding names and numbers on items that need batteries or replacement parts. Bending over is an adventure; getting up can be dangerous. Routinely in my Sunday school class we have prayer for a missing member who was watering plants or picking strawberries and ended up with stitches when they fell on something.
The physical is a constant reminder of our advancing age and deteriorating bodies. The challenge is often the mental element. So much of what we do is mind over matter. If we can stay occupied, we tend to forget about the aches and pains that holler at us when we’re alone in the night.
What seems to help is frequently surveying our blessings, including residing on this side of the dirt. Where there’s life, there’s hope. Many of my single peers tell me the challenge is dealing with loneliness, whether it’s missing touching another foot under the covers or wishing for a hug from a grand or great grand. Seems like the human touch helps restore our desire to live and to love someone other than ourselves. Some friends find comfort in pets to help ward off loneliness. The challenge is not getting your feet tied up with Fido or Fluffy and having to run to the ER. Please Lord no tripping and breaking the hip.
If our minds are clear, we should have reached that point in life where we can more readily separate the truth from the bull. Without being mean we can be honest and avoid getting tied up in situations we could have avoided. Romance is possible but not likely. Companionship with friends often depends on being a friend and investing in others.
On Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, essentials like food and gasoline or electricity may become a challenge as inflation and price hikes take bigger bites out of our fixed incomes. We’ll likely be facing some hard choices if we haven’t already. Going up is easy; coming down is hard. More and more we’re having to start focusing on what we buy or not and things that can be postponed or services that can be cancelled or reordered. We’ve been through a season of prosperity and the ability to do the little extras. We’re now entering a time of shortages and higher prices. God is there through it all. Hopefully the wisdom we’ve acquired with time will help steer us through these troubled waters and get us safely to shore.
By Dr. Juan Harrison
