Never Too Old

21 Aug

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”  ~ C.S. Lewis

Things definitely change through the years.  I remember, when I was really young, that there was a certain “order” throughout life.  When very young, we had the opportunity to play and learn.  In our teen years, we had to become responsible: get a job and help the family.  As juniors and seniors in high school, we had to consider, quite seriously, our future lives.  What school would we attend, what would be our major, and what job would we hold until retirement.  Much later, we could plan a retirement where we would finally be able to play again, just like when we were children.  No responsibilities, no plans, just leisure.

As I got older, the “one job” thing definitely ended, as did many jobs in the region.  Where I live, the steel mills and oil refineries once promised a complete life to its employees.  Not only to the employees, those huge businesses promised that the children of the employees would have jobs waiting for them as well.

Then came the shuttering of the businesses and the depletion of their retirement funds.  All of a sudden, employees had to look for new jobs and benefits.  The dream of a life of leisure was dashed for many.  Some people ended up working well past retirement age.  Many had to find part-time employment in their retirement years just to make ends meet.  There no longer seemed to be any possibility to dream dreams.

Instead, the modality of jobs has shifted radically.  Where once we would envision one job for life, we now have the expectation that we will have a few if not several jobs.  Not only will we not hold one job, relocation is the new norm.  People cannot set down roots as they might be expected to move, at a moments notice, across state, across nation, or across world.

With so much of our lives unsettled, that can easily seep into our spiritual lives.  We find ourselves bouncing between different types of prayer experiences and some even bounce between different religious denominations as they search for some kind of meaning or grounding.  Our lives are often turned upside down and we do not know how to handle those situations.  Instead, we shut down.

Take a chance today.  Set a new goal.  Dream a new dream.  Know that God will accompany you into the future and that you truly have nothing to fear.

FAITH ACTION:  Do not let setbacks from the past inhibit you from making new plans for yourself.  When you do, make sure that God is a part of those plans.