The Day I Became Old

Life changing events have a way of surprising us without warning.

So it was several years ago, when I did some shopping early on a Saturday morning. With Mrs. Smith in tow, I was wandering through K-Mart when my stomach began to growl. It was past breakfast time, and I had not yet eaten.

Just down the aisle I noticed a little cafe tucked into the corner of the store, with a sign advertising a $2.99 breakfast special. Perfect! A quick cheap bite and we'd be on our way. How could I have foreseen the awful epiphany that awaited me there?

An attractive young woman, who couldn't have been a day over 18, smiled sweetly at us from behind the counter as we walked up to order.

"What can I get you two this morning?" she asked cheerfully.

We placed our breakfast orders. Then I remembered my coupon.

"By the way," I said, "I have a coupon here for a free cup of coffee."

Then the sweet young thing, totally oblivious to the havoc she would soon wreak on my self-esteem, flashed a pretty smile and spoke again.

"Oh, you don't need that, sir. With our senior citizen discount you always get a free cup of coffee with any breakfast purchase."

The arrow went straight through my heart and flew out my back, collapsing a lung in the process.

Senior citizen discount? SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT!!!

Who did this young punk think she was talking to?

I was speechless. (Those who know me can testify that this is a rare event.) I accepted my free senior citizen coffee, then hobbled over to the table to sit down with Peggy while we waited for our breakfast to be grilled. When our food finally arrived, it was the most tasteless meal I had ever eaten.

When the freight train of reality runs you down, it can take a while to recover. I suddenly felt very past it. I sat at the table, staring off into space. It is a crushing blow to a man's ego the first time he realizes that young women regard him as a senior citizen.

Bless her heart, Peggy was sensitive to my distress. "Dave, she's just a teenager," she said gently, "She probably thinks anybody over 30 is old."

I appreciated her compassion, but I just needed time to heal.

I went home that day and spent some time in front of the bathroom mirror. Where did all that gray hair come from? When did all of those wrinkles around my eyes appear? How could I have gone to pot like this and never have noticed it before?

As time has passed, I have regained my perspective. As the old saying goes, "Nobody wants to get old until they consider the alternative." God has blessed my life in many ways, and I don't have a right to complain about anything.

I just needed to grow up and face the reality of aging. Getting older is just a fact of life that we all have to accept. It comes with the territory as we wander through this temporary life on earth.

Of course, the presence of grandchildren is a constant reminder that the years are flying by. It's darn near impossible to forget how old you are with two little tykes running around calling you "grampa" all the time.

In fact, I have now come full circle, and I embrace my seniority in life. My new motto is "gray power!"

I happily accept any "senior" discounts that are available wherever I shop. And it is nice when there is some heavy work to be done, and the younger guys jump in and go for it so as to spare the old man (that would be me) from possibly straining himself.

If it's really hot outside, and I start to feel woozy while working, I sit back to rest and nobody hassles me about it. When I was younger I was always hearing things like, "Get off your butt, wienie boy, we've got work to do." Now, in deference to my elderly station in life, people cut me a little more slack.

I am amused every time I stop at Arby's for a cup of coffee. If the cashier behind the counter is under the age of 30, I will almost always automatically get the senior discount on my purchase. If the cashier is closer to my age, I will likely be charged full price. Perception is everything, I suppose.

A friend of mine who is in her 60s has found the perfect way to keep herself feeling young. She works as an activities director at a nursing home, so she is the youngest person in the room all day long. I think she's got the right idea. By contrast, I spend one evening a week playing drums in the youth group band at my church. Believe me, nothing makes you feel more like a geezer than spending an evening in a room full of teenagers.

My advice to you, dear reader, is to try and enjoy each day of life that God gives you. We never know which day may be our last. Our time down here is short, and getting shorter. The upside, if your life belongs to Jesus, is that with each passing day you are one day closer to paradise. It may be a rough trip getting there, but what an amazing destination we have to look forward to!

I plan on enjoying every fleeting moment of life down here to the best of my ability. For instance, I've got an exciting day planned as soon as this blog is finished.

After taking my morning medications, I'll indulge in a leisurely sponge bath. Then it will be time for my morning nap. After I awake, I'll head over to MCL for the senior citizens' lunch special. Next I'll shuffle over to the drugstore to pick up some bunion ointment and get a new rubber tip installed on my cane.

While I'm down at the mall, I might even splurge and go see a moving picture show. I hear they're in color now.

A Toddler Is Beaten Without Mercy

A young Indianapolis man was sentenced to 55 years in prison last week.

According to the report in the Indianapolis Star, Tayuan Chism was sentenced after pleading guilty to the murder of 15-month-old Lilliana Goodmann, the daughter of his girlfriend, Rachel Goodmann. In March of 2009, Tayuan spent over an hour beating the child with a belt because she "disrespected him" by not eating her food.

During the beating of 15-month-old Lilliana, her mother Rachel did nothing to interfere. Rachel has pled guilty to felony neglect, and will be sentenced on Feb. 26.

The newspaper's account of the incident states: "Her mother stood by, but two other people who were in another room eventually grabbed the girl and took her to a hospital. Lilliana, who had internal bleeding and a skull fracture, died two days later."

As incomprehensible as it sounds, the fact is that a little girl -- a toddler in diapers -- was beaten to death by one drug-crazed adult, while her mother, and two other adults, stood by and did nothing.

They were all in the apartment at the time of the murder. For over an hour, they listened to little Lilliana cry and scream as Tayuan raged against her with his belt.

They listened, for over an hour, to the "smack" of the belt as it landed across her back, her legs, her arms, her face.

Did little Lilliana try to run away? Was she knocked to the floor after the first couple of blows, laying there helplessly, crying in pain? Did she scream after every lash of the belt against her tender young skin? Did one of the blows to her skull eventually knock her out, thus sparing the adults in the apartment the unpleasant sound of her weeping?

Were the other adults in the apartment afraid of Tayuan? Were they afraid he might hit them with the belt if they dared to interfere with his beating of 15-month-old Lilliana? Even if they were such craven cowards that they would allow a toddler to be beaten in their presence, couldn't one of them have mustered up enough human decency to sneak off and call 911?

No other mention is made in the article about the other two adult witnesses, who stood by and did nothing, except that they finally took little Lilliana to the hospital after she was already beaten senseless. Was there no crime to charge these people with?

Four adults are responsible for the death of a defenseless toddler. Tayaun has received his sentence of 55 years. Rachel will be sentenced soon, and could receive up to 30 years.

There are two other adults who should be sentenced, for the rest of their lives, to sleepless nights of guilt and shame. They should hear the pitiful screams of little Lilliana in every nightmare they have. How can such heinous actions ever be atoned for? In my mind, allowing the brutal murder of a child is beyond the pale.

These people have only one hope for redemption. There is only one thing that can rescue them from the misery that they deserve. Only Jesus can turn their despicable lives around, and free them from the crushing weight of such unbearable guilt.

It is this same salvation that God offers to each one of us, to cleanse us from the countless sins we have all committed in the course of our lives.

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)