Early attempts at creating a mirrored surface to view ourselves were dim reflections at best from surfaces such as polished metals. Reflections of our lives can present such images as time has begun to erode the bright reflections of those memorable moments. We can no longer touch or hold these precious events and it becomes as though we are viewing them through a glass darkly.
As I approach another milestone in life, one that as a
young man I never expected to attain, the voice inside my head has never
aged. My body has endured the trials and
punishment of many years, but my spirit and soul have never tired or aged. They are forever. I no longer acknowledge such meaningless
concepts as how many times I have circled the sun. Only government entities like schools, the
military, the DOT, Social Security and the IRS keep track of such things so
they can regulate our lives. Ask
yourself, “How old would I be if I didn’t know how old the government records
show that I am?”
Kahlil Gibran observes
that a river trembles with fear before entering the sea. She looks back at the remembered path she has
traveled from the mountains through the villages and forests. And you can never cross the same river twice,
for by then both the river and you have changed. Neither she nor we can go back except in reflections. But coming to the end of the journey is not
about disappearing into the vastness of an ocean, but of becoming one with the
vast expanse of the universe. And only
then will we know fully the mystery of our existence and see clearly the reflection
of our lives.
When people say that I look good--for my age, I respond that “You
should see how ageless my soul is today!”
I rarely re-read a book but I have five of Gibran’s and may make an exception.
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