Today, the annual summer HVAC check-up. Our regular maintenance representative, busy on another job, sent a co-worker with these instructions: “The owner is an elderly guy. He’s nice. He’ll show you where the units are to be serviced.”
“Nice.” Okay. But “elderly”?
I am reminded of the observation of the poet Robert Burns: “O, wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us!”[1]
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[1] From To a Louse, On Seeing One on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church (1786), Robert Burns (1759-1796)
occasional observations of mind and heart, soul and spirit 
Dear Paul,
“Elderly,” like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. 🙂 I have a hard time thinking of you as elderly!
Love,
Karen
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My dearest sister Karen, you are kind to me. Thank you!
More oft than not, these days, I hear myself speaking — as many have counseled that we do — to my younger self, saying, “Treasure these days of your flexibility and strength of arm, your fluidity and sentience of thought, for one day, soon enough as we count time, you will note and, doubtless, lament the losses of these and more than you can name.” And, in this, it has dawned upon me to wonder whether I would have taken heed to such a word in my younger years. Probably not, I think. For it is not an easy thing to imagine another state of being other than that which one inhabits at a given time. Perhaps it is easier to remember what one once has (aye, what one once was).
So, I suspect my calling, at least, in part, is to be as graceful in mine aging, which, in greatest measure, for me, means to be kind to those around me, especially Pontheolla, when my inner lamentations of losses rise to the surface of my conscious expression.
Love
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I agree with Karen Paul elderly is in the eye of the beholder. I don’t think of you as elderly either! People often say that my white hair leads people to believe that I am older than I am…. BUT THEN they get a glimpse of my energy and I run around so quickly and that confuses them!! So we can just be “US” and let others think and feel as they want! I don’t mind getting to the elderly stage but there’s still so much I want to do before my ability to do what I love leave me!! I’m thinking too as I close this comment that anyone who watches or hears you preach would never be able to call you elderly.
Love
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Indeed, my beloved sister Loretta, let us, you and I, keep running around as long as we’re able! And my heart hearkens to your good word — “…we can just be “US” and let others think and feel as they want!” Amen!
Love
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