Changing Gracefully

 

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” *

 

I stood at the picture window in the living room watching anxiously as Al walked his bike down the driveway, his cane propped up by the garage. He paused at the end of the driveway and then tipped the bike toward his right side, while lifting his right leg over the back until straddling the bike. However, the pedal on that side was behind his foot. What to do next?

 We had been talking about whether it was still safe for him to go out riding. He was fine when pedaling, his legs were strong…but when it came to getting off or on the bike, balance was an issue. And neither of us wanted to take any chances when it came to falling!

After he got home from making a loop around the neighborhood, he explained how he got his right foot on the pedal.

“I just kicked it so that it went around and then put my foot on it!”

He did mention again that it would be good to visit a couple of bike shops to look at models that had a lower center bar or no bar at all, like mine.

“I’m just not ready to get a trike yet,” he said. “Then I would really feel like a geezer!”

Later Al and I visited a local bike shop just to look around. The store manager showed him a bright red bike with a lower center bar and helped him figure out the best way to get on it. Al told the manager how he used to love riding his mountain bike on the steep, curvy mountain roads above our home in Springville.

“But those were the ‘usta’ days,” he said regretfully. The manager seemed to understand, although he was much younger and in prime condition.

The high price tag on the bike motivated us to talk about other options. Maybe it was time to start thinking about giving up the sport altogether. Why spend that much money and then end up not using the bike?

According to Al, “we’re all in a state of flux. No living person can keep the status quo in every area of life.” If not changes in activities as we age, there are changes in location, environment, in our bodies and in our relationships with others.

A fellow senior citizen happily residing in our neighborhood, recently had to make a hard decision. She had moved to Michigan several years ago, following her grown children. After a few years, they decided to move to Florida. Not wanting to be so far away from family, our friend is feeling very overwhelmed as she is getting ready to relocate again.

During a recent conversation, she told me about a framed prayer hanging on her wall: “Dear Lord, please help me with the changes in my life.” On the back she had written this: “The only ones who like changes are babies!” paraphrased from a quote by Mark Twain.

Al and I can relate to our friend, having moved from California to Michigan to be closer to family. However, after being here for eight years, our role as grandparents has changed. Two of the four grandchildren are on their own now; and the younger two, both teen-agers, are much more independent. In fact, one of them will be getting his driver’s license this month and will be taking over the responsibility of driving himself and his brother to activities.

Rather than being out on the field playing the game, we are sitting on the sidelines… still rooting for the team, cheering them on, providing support, and helping anyway we can. That takes some adjustments too!

            As Al noted, “The key is changing gracefully. You can fight it, kick, and scream. Certainly I haven’t got a handle on that. But I think that is the key.” Gracefully—full of grace. It is only with God’s help and His provision that we can accept changes with hope and optimism, knowing that the best is yet to come.

He loves us!

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13 NIV)

*Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV