There must surely come the time when my life’s high point will have been reached. It’s hard to pin down the exact moment or description of when that will occur, but right now it feels honest to admit that I am no longer at my peak. Some after-apex thoughts follow….
It’s also truthful to acknowledge gratefully the years when much of my life felt like an ascending path, reaching towards increased knowledge, skill, influence or power. All along the journey, I was blessed with mentors and teachers who added immeasurably to my sense of meaning and purpose. However I might measure the effects of my life, none of what I accomplished happened without the surrounding love and care that came from others.
During those ascendant times, I saw how older colleagues approached the reality that they were beyond their most productive years. Most of them exhibited great wisdom in this matter—carefully passing on their legacies, teaching and equipping their replacements, graciously giving up their status while also acknowledging the slow diminishment of their expertise.
It’s not always easy for me to give up on the notion of my continual improvement, growing power or increasing giftedness. The self-improvement industry wants me to believe that the arc of my life will always point higher. From those earlier-in-life examples, though, I know that isn’t true.
I am also certain that there are probably other peak points still possible, still coming, still waiting for me in new places. I can continue to improve as a listener, find more wisdom, enhance my health, deepen my skills as a caregiver or help up-and-coming folks find their own zeniths.
God’s grace has lifted me all these years, and will continue to show itself in new ways. That’s why I look forward—and upward—to growing older!
