By Dr. Rich Bimler, Lutheran Life Communities –
Hats off to Walgreens Drug Store for developing a very creative and catchy tag line. Throughout the country, Walgreens has branded itself as the place where “happy” and “healthy” intersect. And who wouldn’t want to live at that corner.
Oh, if life were only that easy!
I don’t know about you, but my life often gets side-swiped, skids into a ditch, or at least swerves now and then off the main highway of life. It is called reality! The good news in all of this, however, is that as we grow older, we are able to deal more honestly and realistically with the accidents and dents of life, because we see that aging is a blessing, instead of a burden. We are able to celebrate God’s gift of aging because we know how it all turns out. We have a loving Lord who loves and forgives us, even when we get lost and when we find ourselves at the corner of “hurting and hurried” or even “hostile and horrible”!
Someone once stated that living a faith-based life is like living each day where the sadnesses of life intersect with the gladnesses of life! I like that concept! It is another way of affirming that in the midst of both the joys and the sorrows which we all experience, the Lord is right there, pointing us to what aging is all about! It is affirming that after every Good Friday in our lives there is always an Easter!
So what do we do when we stall at the intersection of “worries and woes”? Things do not always turn out the way we have hoped. We get lost on this vast highway of life, take wrong turns, and even go through signs that say “Stop”! One way to continue on our journey is to ask for help from those around us. A benefit of aging is to finally realize that we cannot do everything by ourselves. Got a flat tire? Find someone who can pump you up again. Run out of gas? Become refreshed by the joy and friendship of others.
There is the story of an 85 year old who was a menace on Interstate 75 because he would only drive at 25 miles an hour . People would beep at him, stare at him, and yell at him constantly. A friend suggested that his elderly friend turn on his “blinking lights” when he was driving, and it made all the difference in the world! Instead of seeing him as a problem, drivers saw him as someone who needed help. And so they treated him that way! They checked to see if he was okay. They were patient because they understood his situation. He asked for help, and people responded!
Rejoice each day that the Lord continues to keep us on His path and that He forgives us when we drive into a ditch of life! Rejoice for and with others who are ahead of you as well as behind you. The journey is much more happy and healthy with others around us!
I look forward to our journey together. I’ll see you at the corner of Happy and Healthy!
About the Author
Dr. Rich Bimler, Bloomingdale, Illinois, has served the Church in various positions throughout his 49 year ministry career. He repositioned in 2006 after serving for 15 years as President/CEO of Wheat Ridge Ministries. He serves as the Ambassador of Health, Hope, and Aging (AH-HA!) for Lutheran Life Communities, Arlington Heights, Illinois. He continues to write, speak, and consult with other agencies and organizations throughout the world.
Arlington – www.ArlingtonNaples.org