Are You Aging?

By -

 

 
                                                      Mom and me                                 

I've watched a number of people age.  I've watched as they've had to accept that they can no longer do things they used to do.

The thing is, nobody talks about grieving the loss of your younger self, but it can really be a big deal.

Whether one grieves the loss of steady hands, or knees that are uncooperative, it becomes a dance between finding treatment and acceptance.

The added challenge is when your brain tricks you into thinking you are younger than your chronological age, but your body allows no such illusion.

God bless her, I remember my husband's grandma jumping rope in our kitchen many years ago.  She must have been 90+ at the time. Seeing our young daughter with her rope, she recalled her own days of jumping rope and gave it a try. To this day, I have no idea how she pulled it off, but she did.  Mind over matter, I guess.

A long time ago, as a 30 year old, I developed rheumatoid arthritis. The process took three years to get me in remission, but it added a lifetime deposit of acceptance and humility.

It doesn't matter if you are 30, or 90, sometimes our bodies don't work like we want them to, and it is important to allow the grieving process to proceed so that we can reach a place of acceptance.

Despite what commercials tell us, we are so much more than our physical agility, our beauty, and our intellect.  Made in the image of God, we are created to find joy, even in our pain and suffering.  Some days are harder than others; it is definitely something to pray about.

Every, single, person has value, no matter their level of contribution to society, or activity. If you are aging, or if you are around someone who is, have respect for the process (and the person), for the love of God within each of us requires great respect and dignity.

Janet Cassidy 
janetcassidy.com
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy



 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Memorare

By Helen Gonsalves -
Image
This popular prayer, a favorite of many Catholics, dates back to the 15th century and takes its name from the first Latin word of the prayer, "memorare," which means "remember." The Memorare is of unknown authorship, although it has been attributed to St. Augustine (354-430), St. John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) and, with more reason, to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153). St. Bernard's sermons on Mary were famous, and it was his Cistercian monks in the monastery of Citeaux in the 12th century who popularized the name "Our Lady" for Mary. The Memorare has also been attributed to the French cleric Claude Bernard (1588-1641), known as the "poor priest" of Paris, whose homilies contain passages that echo its words. No matter who wrote this prayer, it was Father Bernard who did much to popularize it, teaching it in hospitals and prisons, where Mary's intercession was effective in working miracles of grace. The first manuscript of the Mem
Read more

The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary

By -
Image
This is the image most often associated with the writings of the Belgian mystic Berthe Petit. She promoted devotion to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. During my preparation for the retreat I am giving at the end of the month in Pantasaph, North Wales, I began reading a book by the late John Haffert (once the lay leader of the Blue Army of Fatima). His theory in the book, which speaks of God's "last effort" to convert the world before the coming chastisement, is that we are now living in the third or fourth "day" of the Fatima week. At this time, according to Haffert, we should be promoting devotion to The Immaculate Heart of Mary. I also consulted another book by Dr. Courtnay Bartholomew (whom I have been privileged to meet) which also speaks of the importance of this devotion, linking it with the writings and visions of the mystic Berthe Petit, and the importance of the full title of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. These things will feature in
Read more

Why Modesty Is Not Subjective

By -
Image
Hi there, ya'll!  The modest fashion world is one very diverse place.  Even among Catholics, the definition of "modest apparel" can vary greatly from person to person.  Recently I joined a Facebook group that advertised itself as a haven for Catholic women of all ages to share ideas for modest style and makeup and was hoping to learn more about modesty from my fellow Catholic sisters.  After a few days of being a member, though, I sadly left the group feeling a bit discouraged.  No two members seemed to agree on ANY aspect of modesty whatsoever, and the prevailing theme of the whole group was that modesty is subjective, it means something different for each woman and each woman gets to decide what she considers is "modest".  One woman very emphatically declared that she wears bikinis every summer to the beach and doesn't feel that this violates the virtue of modesty in the least.  The same woman also announced that she was never going to caution her d
Read more