Many seniors find they have many blessings

We all are aging, aren’t we? At least, those of us still upright and responsive. I call it being lucky; my religious friends say that I have been blessed.

Most of us have had a few challenges in life when we didn’t believe we were either lucky or blessed, but we are still here and enjoying several aspects of life. Sadly, many of our loved ones and good friends are not.

Life is good. At least most of it is, for most of us Americans. Almost every day, in the mail, I receive multiple requests for charitable donations that include very sad pictures of residents of foreign countries who have not had good luck or blessings to any reasonable extent.

And we know of some folks, in our very own wealthy country, who are not living a grand and glorious lives either. They barely have enough wherewithal to exist. Life, for them, could be very much better. Makes that even more discouraging for me is to see the exorbitant incomes of some of those 1 percenters, who still in a country that professes moral values aren’t paying appropriate taxes. And to see how much we spend on military in spite of the fact that we have the mightiest capability on the planet earth.

People in my age bracket begin to give some thought to life’s ending. What can we do for remaining family members especially before that day comes and after? What can we do with all the stuff we’ve gathered and stored? At one time, we used those things and enjoyed them. Now they just take up space on shelves, closets, sheds, attics, etc., and we could be distributing them to folks who might find them useful.

I was reminded of this aspect of life recently when shown a book entitled Green Winter by Ellise Maclay. One of her poems was entitled Worldly Goods and I’d like to share the opening lines with you. If you haven’t reached that age yet, it may provide some perspective when you do:

I’m giving away my things

And it turns out to be

As much of an occupation

And as much fun

As collecting them was

I browse among my friends the way I used to browse in shops

I try to decide who should have the cameo I wore at my wedding,

Who would like

My Chinese vase.

I go through closets and drawers

And am amazed at what I find

So many objects. I am ashamed.

To have so much when so many have so little.

Aren’t, most of us, truly lucky?

Tags: community, seniors, health, family