Let’s grow old together

Age is a matter of feeling, not of years. Washington Irving
My husband Jozef is not an expressive person, no wonder if his friends always say he has standard smile and standard expression. It was Sunday, right after church, we were in the car to visit our parents. Suddenly he said, “You have more gray hair now” I looked at him and asked, “Do you mind if I don’t want to color my hair?” He gave me a standard smile and said, “It is up to you as long as you are happy” I replied him, “I am happy with my gray hair and wrinkles in my face and it is my choice” We just celebrated our birthday in the same month. He is just a year older than me and we will be married for twenty one years this year. The journey of our relationship started since we were in high school. Seventy five percents of our ages we spent together. Actually both of us are getting older in the same time. We had a discussion about old age along the way. It is common; when we are getting older we want to keep our youth appearance. Some of us would do everything to look younger. There is nothing wrong about it. I just have my own opinion about getting older. We are going to be old and no one can reject that situation. Some questions always pop up in my mind, “How do we accept old age and be happy with those changes in life?” I was in the rejection stage when my hair started getting gray, until one day my daughters said to me, “Mom is okay you look a bit older as long as your spirit is always young” It hit my mind… everybody will be in the same stage of ages. I will not be alone! Maybe some of my friends looked younger than me, but who knows the quality of the spirit in their life. I started learning to accept the condition. I am happy with those changes in my life. Getting older is a great lesson to learn about all blessings in my life. It is a time for me to see how ages changes my body and my appearance. Life is a great teacher! I just need acceptance in life. Confucius said, “Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator” The discussion has to be stopped at the time we reached our destination, my husband held my hand and he said, “Let’s grow old together” To be happy, we must be true to nature and carry our age along with us. William Hazlitt **Lina Kartasasmita** Jakarta April 5, 2012 at 8.05PM

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