Seventy-two year old Mary Maxwell gave the invocation at a gathering of caregivers to seniors. She said, "This is the first time I've ever been old.... It just kind of crept up on me." I laughed at her wise and witty speech.
I turned this over in my mind. Life is all about first times isn't it? First time you were a kid, a gawky middle schooler, a teen-ager, and on and on with stages of life. What if you hadn't experienced those stages? Don't you wonder sometimes how you ever made it through those times? And why?
As I get older, I realize that each stage of my life built on to the next. Things I learned as a sixteen year old help me now at this age. Oh I don't mean book learning, I mean lessons in dealing with life e.g. joy, love, sorrow, passion, patience, faith, honesty and so many more that enrich one's life.
The best thing about working through these life lessons is sharing what you've learned. No, I don't mean preaching to a teen about the horrors of smoking or lecturing on not texting while driving. (Heck, there were no cell phones when I was a teen.!)
I am talking about being able to be a good example to others going through stages in their lives. They can see I made it and they can too. With my past experience in life, I can be empathetic, listen, and understand what someone else is feeling.
I want to remember every single part of my life and, when asked, to use my experience to help others. Writing your life story is a wonderful way to share your life with others and to let them know the trauma and triumphs you faced. Your life story is a gift to family and friends. It's easy to start. Write down that story that is told at every family gathering. I'm sure it will spark many more for you. Enjoy the writing and re-visiting of your life.
