I think I may have discovered another unique advantage of growing older: Bigger, longer ears! The results of gravity’s pull, larger ears—and *noses, too—elongate because their underlying elasticity decreases over time. Aging cartilage, collagen and skin allow both women’s and men’s ears to get longer at the rate of .22 millimeters per year. The result: The longer you live, the longer your ears!
One outcome—I’m going way out on a scientific limb here—must surely be that many of us who are older can be really good listeners! If sound waves bounce better off bigger ears—I’m even farther out on that limb—that leads me to the conclusion that we super-eared senior citizens have some special advantages!
We may pick up what small-eared folks might otherwise miss: What’s going on under the sounds that waft through the air. We understand and gladly accept Jesus’ admonition, “He/she that hath ears, let him/her hear!” (Matthew 11:15 KJV). We listen to what we hear.
Our larger-eared responsibilities are equally important: We get to share what we hear. Like prophets of old—many of whom were older and therefore large-eared—we resist becoming older liars, grifters and scammers. We tell the truth in love—one of our many endearing attributes! We listen intuitively and accurately; we listen more than we speak and we listen with wise minds.
So, the next time you look in a mirror and wonder what good can come from larger/longer ears, remember with pride your special place in the company of God’s older prophets!
* There don’t seem to be any Scriptures associated with larger noses. Most scholars agree that Spartacus 34:12b (“Him/her that hath noses, let him/her smell.”) is part of the pseudepigraphic writings of a wildly whimsical Old Testament blogger.
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