LIVNG IN AN ADVANCED AGE 6-12-2021

Dear Friends,

It’s been a while since I’ve written a script, one that I would love to share with you.

Whoever said that living in an advanced age was easy?

Well, whoever was alleged to have said this must have been young and somewhat delusional!

Getting older is not easy, my friends. It’s difficult and it’s a rollercoaster of a ride!

Yes, I am fortunate to be alive at my age but, what usually comes with being older are more problems.

My body doesn’t work as well as it did in my youth.

I live with serious and life threatening health issues that capture much of my life.

I am plagued with aches, moans and groans.

The inside plumbing is usually not in working condition either.

I have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma and Congestive Heart Failure to name a few.

I also, because of my numerous health conditions, I live with chronic fatigue, chronic pain, a paralyzed diaphragm in my left lung, congestion causing me to be and feel sick, weak and exhausted much of the time.

In other words, there are times when I don’t feel well.

I am at doctors’ offices and inpatient in the hospital more than I , or anyone would ever like to be.

I live with realizing that time could run out for my friends and my family.

I love each of these people dearly and couldn’t imagine my life without them.

I have lost many of my friends to death in recent years. (A super close friend just passed away approximately 2 weeks ago, leaving me to question and to grieve over this loss and the losses of many other humans that have died).

This brings me to the point of knowing that time could also run out for me.

Death is a phenomena that I would like to avoid but, realistically cannot, not now.

Like many other people, I have my good days and my bad days, my good moments and my bad moments.

Though sick, in pain and struggling, I hold on to that overflowing cup of gratitude.

I am grateful to God for bestowing me many blessing, causing me to be full of joy.

My loving Lord also gives me the strength, courage and stamina to get through those tough and problematic times.

Yes, our lives are more challenging and difficult as we age.

It seems that my life has become a revolving door consisting of doctors’ appointments, in the hospital, doing my health regimen consisting of taking pills, breathing treatments, testing my blood sugar, weighing myself frequently, sleeping and etc.…

My friends, I do (when I am physically able to) visit family.

I do spend time with friends as well, whether it be enjoying a cup of coffee, a meal or just relishing our times being spent together.

Time with others usually includes an over abundant and overflowing cup of conversation.

The last and most important segment of this script encompasses my time spent with God.

I’m overjoyed that I can worship my God with my church family thanks to technology (ZOOM) and I can also participate in receiving Communion the Blessing of the Bread and wine like juice through my computer.

Having this new form of worship is definitely more inclusive because I, and others who love to worship in Church, cannot always attend physically in a church building.

One aspect that I cannot ever leave out is my alone time with God.

In the dawn of the day, I communicate with my Lord.

Reciting my daily devotional has become a wonderful part of my morning routine, and has been for many years.

Throughout the day and evening, I approach the Throne of Grace with humility, gratitude and thanksgiving and with an open heart, placing my needs at the Cross as I bow before my God..

Yes, though sick, in pain and living in the most challenging and difficult times of my life, I have been blessed and blessed abundantly!

Love,

Evelyn Pinto

June 12, 2021