Since I turned 65 in January, I read with interest the review of a new book about aging. The book by William Miller has a depressing title, “Losing It.” Reviewer Henry Allen wrote: “If I may dare to sum up: Old age is an annoying, ridiculous and pathetic decline toward the state of a turnip softening in a compost heap, if death is not kind enough to intervene first.” Well, that just doesn’t help me. Don’t think I’ll buy the book. (WSJ, December 31, 2011; C9)
Miss Gioninni, our high school Latin teacher, made us learn a Roman boy’s song. Also not helpful now.
Let us rejoice, therefore,
While we are young.
After a pleasant youth
After a troubling old age
The earth will have us,
The earth will have us.
Mr. Allen began his review, “In 1981, five days before cancer killed him, the life-loving writer William Saroyan told the Associated Press: ‘Everybody has to die, but I always believed an exception would be made in my case. Now what?’” “Now what” is the only thing left, staking our lives on God keeping His promises. “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) “Faith shall cry, as fails each sense: Jesus is my confidence!” (Lutheran Service Book, 490, 5)
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