One consistent feature of the homes of older adults I’ve visited seems to be their collection of memorable photos–a gallery of loved ones’ portraits. There’s not much there in the form of action shots or story-starters, so the photos may seem only minimally evocative of memories or emotions. That viewpoint has changed as I’ve gotten older. Now I find myself occasionally lingering over myMORE...
One of the quiet blessings of the sequestrated lifestyle is the invitation to daydream, to wander in thought. Over the past many months, I’ve taken advantage of this opportunity, and sometimes find myself meandering off into memories about people, places and events from long ago and far away. Those reveries have been part of my prayer life, in a practice I’ve termed “praying the map”—taking cuesMORE...
This entry is part of a blog series, Time Capsules, in which I tell you about places in our home where the blessings of our history are evident in stored artifacts. Today, I invite you to look with me at high school and college yearbooks that go back many decades! I attended high school and college in a previous century. Back then, we purchased yearbooks that chronicled our personal andMORE...
A few months ago, Liz, one of my former co-workers, died at a young age. This was one of those cases where “too soon for her to die” was true—an effervescent woman still perking along and inspiring others wherever she went. My initial grieving was compounded by the sadness of not having kept in touch over the years—lots of geographical distance. So I was not able to be part of the comfortingMORE...
Recently, the wistful tune and lyrics of Paul Simon’s “Old Friends” replayed themselves in my head, and brought me to where they always take me: Considering the old friends with whom I’ve shared a “park bench, like bookends…..” Wistful nostalgia seasoned with deep gratitude and dusted with joy. As happens every time I recall this tune, I found myself in a long-lasting reverie about all theMORE...
Every time I sing that phrase—in the final verse of ”The Church’s One Foundation” by Samuel Stone—I choke up just a bit. Those few words remind me of a sweet truth: By God’s grace, and because I am old now, I am connected to multitudes of folks like you! And what’s even sweeter is that I don’t have to wait for St. John’s vision in Revelations 7 eventually to come to pass. There is a “mystic sweetMORE...
A few years back, my high school graduating class celebrated our fiftieth anniversary with a reunion. It was a fully satisfying event, and I came away full of gratitude for these folks—who they were back then and who they are now. During the get-together, we wondered about the classmates that weren’t with us, and what has transpired in their lives. “Whatever happened to (fill in theMORE...
BOB SITZE has filled the many years of his lifework in diverse settings around the United States. His calling has included careers as a teacher/principal, church musician, writer/author, denominational executive staff member and meat worker. Bob lives in Wheaton, IL.