One truism about older adulthood is that some of our life-decisions may now lead toward possible dead-ends. Places where no good choices remain, realities from which we cannot escape. (Familiar examples: Smoking from a young age, ignoring good health habits or spending beyond our means.)
This truth leads me to wonder what might be happen when we finally realize that we’ve come to any of life’s dead-ends. That we’re boxed in. That what’s ahead is likely worse than what preceded it. That we will soon face the long-term results of our previous short-term thinking. That pipers are waiting to get paid.
Once we see ourselves as dead-enders, we need grace, forgiveness and redemption. Because we’re facing very real ends-of-ropes, we need folks who will come alongside as fellow travelers. They might not be able to share the weight of our lives’ consequences, but they can certainly accept and love us. They can remain available for friendships and emerging possibilities. They can be builders-up and repairers, second-chance finders or scouts for routes we can use to escape our predicament.
Thankfully, there’s still life at dead-ends. We can still find purpose and meaning in ministering to others. We can rededicate ourselves to following Christ. We can seek wisdom in our faith. We can refuse to wallow in despair. We can rejoice in whatever gifts God still showers on us.
It feels sad to face these later-in-life impasses, but I’m also reminded that we lost souls—those of us who are crushed against massive walls of consequences—can still be guided toward new directions for our lives, towards hope for the future. The final chapters in our life stories don’t’ have to be sad.
Thanks to Jesus—the Way, the Truth and the Life—we are always more than Dead-Enders!
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