We take this “senior moment” to thank Jim for four years of blog writing, as we reluctantly accept his retirement from regularly sharing his musings with us.

            Have you ever gone in a room and forgot why you came in?  Well, they’re selling shoes for just this problem; they have memory foam inserts.  Have you ever gone to look something up on the computer and forgot what it was?  Have you ever seen someone, who you haven’t seen for a long time, but used to know well, and were unable to remember their name?  I have experienced all of these.   If you’re a member of Joy, you’re most likely a senior like me, and I suspect you’ve also had such senior moments.  We’re not alone, either.  Our housing development has an online forum, and a few weeks ago someone made a post reporting finding a complete set of auto floormats strewn along a stretch of the golf cart path.  A few days later there was a sheepish response.  A man said he had had a senior moment; while washing his car he had put the floormats on the back of his golf cart, and then later rode off forgetting that they were there.

            The median age of the U.S. population is growing, and a sad part of that is that the number of seniors with dementia is also growing.  When we experience one of our senior moments, we often are concerned about, or even fear, having dementia.  The good news is that having senior moments is a normal part of aging, and does not mean that we are not able to fully function.  In contrast, the memory losses indicating dementia are much more severe.  Victims forget the names of those very close to them, and they have trouble remembering how to perform common procedures like operating a microwave or even brushing their teeth.

            Despite a few senior moments, most of us as senior citizens are actively living our lives.  The Bible contains many verses about honoring and respecting the elderly, including one of the Ten Commandments.  Proverbs 16:31 can’t help but make us feel good; it says, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.”  In fact, since I’ve lost a lot of hair on top, it’s becoming more like a crown all the time.  It’s often overlooked, but the Bible also speaks directly to us as seniors about how we should live our lives.  For example, Titus 2:1-3 and 1 Peter 5:1-3 tell us that we should be temperate, self-controlled, worthy of respect, teach what is good, be eager to serve, and not lord over those entrusted to us.  Finally, we should pray the prayer of Psalm 71:18.  Lord, do not forsake us when we are old and gray, until we declare your power to the next generation.

            Please read Titus 2:1-3, 1 Peter 5:1-3, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Jim