On Avacados and Growing Older

Lately the Jim Gaffigan bit about "Sometimes I just throw out my avacados at the grocery store..." has been running through my head.  It's funny of course because there is such a small window for avacados to be ripe enough but not too ripe and before you know it, they're yucky.  Even though this has never happened to me--they are too expensive and I love guacamole too much to let them pass me by-- I still find it funny.  It's funny also, of course, because it's delivered by Jim Gaffigan and he certainly can't find it in himself to pay attention to the ripeness of avacados.  Not while he's busy taking naps and eating donuts.

We can all relate to life moving so fast that before we know it, things are over ripe.  We're too busy to babysit avacados.  Jim's point is, "Why even buy them?  I'm just going to throw them out in a few days."  You stare at them and you think, "How did this happen??  How are they already gross?"

This is how I feel about getting older.  All of a sudden, though I was just at perfect ripeness not so long ago, I'm now quickly approaching middle age and the downhill to, well, death.  It's hard not to feel like I'm the avacado you squeeze in the grocery store and then put back to look for a bit more firm, less bruised one.

I have tennis elbow.  But let's be clear, it's certainly not because I exercise.  I'm pretty sure it's more like photographer's elbow.

I have a child who will start driving in a few months.  If this doesn't signify that I'm no longer young and hip, I don't know what does.

Pregnancy is a part of my past.  Enough said.

I'm starting to feel the need for reading glasses.  At least to wear while I try to pluck out my gray hair.


Those are just some of my realities.  But I don't want to come across as negative.  I'm not sour or bitter about getting older.  It's just that there is definitely a coming to grips with it going on in my mind.

I plan to decide some things.  I decide first and most importantly to have a heavenly perspective.  I know that though outwardly I'm wasting away, inwardly I'm being renewed day by day.  I'm getting younger, really.  And though I might be halfway to death, I'm not actually going to DIE.  I will live forever with Jesus.  So, there's that.

Because my human faith in the above can waver, I try to bolster it by deciding some things.  I want to be resolved.  I will decide to be excited about all that is to come in my life here on earth.  I will decide to not look so far ahead, and not to look too far behind.  To focus on today.  To rejoice and be glad in it.

And I decide, if I do look back, not to long for those younger days, but to find joy in them.  I have gained wisdom and experience that allows me to speak into the lives of others who are younger.

Sometimes I use soft avacados with bruises.  And you know what?  They still make a mean guacamole.  A few bruises never hurt anyone.  I'm certainly not going to throw myself out at the grocery store.  Even though I spend enough time there, trying to keep these kids fed!