I want to take a few moments to talk about what it means to be a Senior. There are many misconceptions about this term. We have some jokes said about Seniors. I just turned 60 a month ago and my children gave me some cute gifts. One was a small orange pylon and the words written on it say, “Caution – 60 yr. old Senior Moment.” We all have those times in our life. (Well at least some of us do.) For those who are younger than 60 and reading this article, you may not fully understand. But for all of you who are over 60, you might have experienced those moments when you realize that you are not as young as you once were, or that you are forgetting things from time to time.
A survey done quite a few years ago asked people to identify themselves. Of those over 80 years of age, 53 per cent admitted they were old; 36 per cent reported they considered themselves middle-aged; and 15 per cent said they were young.
Well, there are some pleasant benefits when you “hit” or arrive at that time in your life when you can be called a Senior. There are those who do not want to be seen as a Senior, because in their minds it is a negative thing. But I see it from a positive perspective. One of the benefits is that you may get a discount at some stores or restaurants. I just found out that I do not have to pay any more service charges on my chequing account. There are many other benefits to being a Senior.
When you hit that time in your life – where you have lived most of your life, you can expect to have maybe 20 more years when you can be very active. I play tennis and there are a number of the tennis players are over 60 and some over 70, and I know one that is over 80.
But I think some of the greater benefits are that some of the younger people may look up to you for advice and counsel. They may not come to you for information because they can find that on the computer at the click of a mouse. But there is something of greater value and that is experience and wisdom.
I know that when you arrive at that time in your life, your hair changes from black or brown or blonde, to a gray or white look.
The Bible has a few verses that give us a little insight into how God views or looks at Seniors. Proverbs 16: 31 – “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.” We also see in Proverbs 20: 29 – “The glory of the young men is their strength; gray hair is the splendor of the old.”
It seems that with the advancement of our modern medicine and all the tests they can, do most people are living longer. So when I was younger – the average life of an adult was around 73 – 75 years of age. But that has changed – average age is now in the eighties.
Once again the Bible offers us some advice if we pay attention to it.
Psalm 90:10 – “The length of our days are seventy years or eighty if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass away.” Then in verse 12, it says, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
So whether you are 25 or 35 or 45 or 55 or 65 or 75 or 85 – let us remember that God gave us life and to put our trust in Him for how many years we have to live.
Pastor Victor Koop