Life goes by so fast and looking back is inevitable. But, would you want to return to the “you” of ten years ago?
Would you want to go back?
The past few weeks, I’ve been seeing the #tenyearchallenge everywhere on social media. It’s a quirky challenge for sure, hunting down old pictures that may have been taken with a real camera (gasp!) rather than stored on the cloud. My daughter uses Snapchat so this challenge will be difficult for her, I imagine, ten years from now, what with every pic she takes erasing itself ten seconds after it is looked at.
I’m not hip enough to understand the desire to be reminded what I looked like ten years ago. It may be an age thing. Maybe if you’re 28, looking back at 18 isn’t so bad. I guess I just don’t really care that much about looks; it’s more a reflection back to who I was, how I behaved, how much I’ve grown that would be appealing to me. Randy Travis had it right when he sang in “Forever and Ever, Amen“,
“They say time takes it’s toll on a body
Makes a young girl’s brown hair turn gray
Well, honey, I don’t care
I ain’t in love with your hair
And if it all fell out
Well I’d love you anyway”
Handsome hubby has replied to every complaint I’ve ever made about my weight, my grey hair (or two), or my age, “Well, it beats the alternative.” Truer words. I could always be dead is his logic. And, more importantly, God doesn’t see the me that I see. He sees His creation. The child He loves and seeks. I am positive He doesn’t care if I have a grey hair on my head.
What does the Bible say about aging?
There are plenty of jewels within the Bible, expressing the honor bestowed upon an older chap. Here are just a few:
- 2 Corinthians 4:16 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
- Psalm 71:18 “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”
- Proverbs 20:29 “The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.”
- Proverbs 16:31 “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”
- Job 12:12 “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.”
Life is a Journey
We need to find ways to not take ourselves too seriously so challenges like these are fun. As long as we’re not dwelling too much on how we look but rather how we act, it’s a good thing to take stock of ourselves. On the other hand, we shouldn’t be so vain that we care more about our appearances than about doing good with our lives. It’s all a balance. When I look back at the photo above, of my two sweet blessings, I realize how much time has passed and how those days were so special. The handmade Valentine’s Day cards, the dressing up in reds and pinks. The chocolate! Glorious days.
But now, ten years later, I have two great teens. I wouldn’t want to go back. I cherish those memories but I want to focus on the moments of today. If I spend too much time dwelling in the past, I miss what is right here today.
