What's Your Security Blanket?

Think back to the time when you were a child and the thunder rolled outside your house. Flashes of lightning lit up your bedroom even though it was night, the binds were shut, and the curtains were drawn. What was your reaction? Who did you run to? What did you clutch on to? In other words, what was your “security blanket”? I did not have a blanket like the Peanuts character Linus. I had a “security bunny.” It was a bunny that I would drag down the steps at night to the landing in our three-story house. There I would fall asleep night after night comforted by my security bunny and the muffled voices of my parents in the living room. I didn’t need a thunderstorm to drive me to seek security. Childhood insecurities I already had made my “security bunny” my inseparable sidekick. I do not remember when I released my emotional grip on that bunny or why I set that gold-colored friend aside. It just gradually happened I suppose. Sometime ago, I walked into my granddaughters’ room in upstate New York, and there spied my old friend slumped to one side on an upper shelf in her room. Long time, many decades, no see!

     I look upon that “security bunny” with amusement now. At the time, however, the bunny was serious business. When I went away to stay at someone’s house, bunny went with me. Vacation required a place in the suitcase for bunny. Even in early grade school, bunny was placed on my pillow after the bed was made. However, when my buddies came to the house, bunny was quickly sequestered to the shelf in my closet! I did not need to supply ammunition for teasing. Gradually bunny stayed in the closet until one occasion in my later grade school years. Both of my parents were hospitalized at the same time and I had to live with my Aunt for several weeks. Somehow, I reasoned that I needed that bunny. He was squashed into my little cardboard suitcase. Each evening bunny came out for a comforting hug before I went to sleep. He was now a secret bunny – only brought out for an emergency.  

     One could reason that I had insecurities. I would agree. However, I wonder how many others have similar insecurities. In these perilous days, what “security blankets” are people holding on to? I wonder has our security blanket been reduced to rolls of toilet paper? I recently read an article quoting Dr. Thea Gallagher, director of the Outpatient Clinic at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania. She suggests there is psychological reason for the behavior of people buying massive amounts of toilet paper. She concludes, “I think that people feel like there’s not much that they can control right now," she told TODAY. "There’s a lot of uncertainty, a lot of information going around, a lot of impending doom, and so I think part of [hoarding toilet paper] helps people to feel like they have a

little bit of control over what’s happening to them in their lives.” She added, “It’s an absolute illusion because this whole thing is rolling out and there’s very little we can do… "Yeah, we can wash our hands and have some control, but that’s not ultimate control and I think it’s an illusion of control. I think that’s what people are trying to hold onto right now.”

     People want ultimate control and when it is missing, they panic. They become irrational. They lose a sense of peace. King David in the Old Testament lived a life that was many times out of control. He faced attacking beasts, King Saul who was bent on his destruction, life on the run in the wilderness from attacking forces, national rebellion led by his beloved son, and many other hardships that would create insecurities in any human. What was his response? He created a theme song that is recorded in 2 Samuel 22 (worth reading the entire chapter). This song later became part of the Old Testament hymn book, Psalm 18. He looks at his life and he reflects on how the Lord has worked in the out of control times he faced. Most impressive is the way he sings about what he has learned about God. He starts his theme song singing, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, and my refuge, my savior, you save me from violence.” He then gives a glorious statement of resolve singing, “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies.” David’s life has shaken him. David’s God has comforted him.

     We need more than a security blanket in an uncertain world. We need a rock of stability. David discovered that security. May his discovery be one that we make. Our God is better than a blanket, or a bunny, or any material item we can embrace. I am glad, “My God lightens the darkness” (22:29).             

Contaminating Communication of Complaining

Did you ever view an episode on Discovery Channel “Dirty Jobs” with host Mike Rowe? I have never seen an entire show because I was usually too grossed out by some of the difficult and disgusting things he had to do. The purpose of the program was to show by firsthand experience some of the everyday tasks employees had to endure to do their job. He did this by assisting in the very things these workers had to do in a typical workday. Most of these jobs took him into physically repulsive settings to carry out necessary tasks. Honestly, my stomach churned when I learned of the dirty jobs some people must endure.

   

  I wonder if Mike ever had to work alongside an employee in the Customer Relations Department of a major company. I am pretty sure a person in this department faced plenty of “dirt” in an eight-hour day listening to complaints. Maybe the department would be better named the “Complaint Department.” After all, how many people call Customer Relations just to say, “Man, everything I got from your company was just great! The service was exceptional, and the product exceeded my expectations!” If an employee in this department received such a call, they would probably need a coworker to get them smelling salts to revive them or to place a call to 911 to report a heart attack! People are free with complaints and rather stingy with compliments.

     It was Dale Carnegie who said, “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, and most do.” It seems like complaining is part of the DNA of humanity. Chris Tiegreen observes that people generally “speak the language of criticism and complaint far too fluently.” He adds that as a result humans have the “ability to criticize and harp on the faults seen in those around them, blame their own circumstances on the decisions of others, and vilify those who don’t agree with them.” How often the scourge of complaining spreads its damaging effects upon relationships and produces a toxic environment of discontent.

     One of the Old Testament characters I appreciate is Moses. He spent one third of his life in the “Customer Relations Department” for the nation of Israel. He was appointed leader by God to deliver the nation from bondage and take them to the promised land described by God in the most glowing of terms – “a land filled with milk and honey.” Repeatedly the national response was complaining, criticism, and threat. Every time life looked tough, or was tough, their response was complaint.

     The books of Exodus and Numbers preserves a catalog of complaints the nation brings against God and his appointed leader, Moses. Here is a sampling of the occasions when complaints were expressed and spread through the nation: Complained when they felt trapped (Exodus 14:10-12); Grumbled when they were thirsty (15:22-24); Whined when they were hungry (16:1-3); Grumbled when there was not enough variety with the food God did provide (Numbers 11:4-34); Griped about the difficulties ahead entering the promised land which was indeed filled with milk and honey (14:1-4). All their muttering and moaning was an aggravation to God as He heard their ingratitude and saw their forgetfulness of God’s work on their behalf. God evaluates their complaining and concludes this is evidence that the people despised, disbelieved, and disregarded what He had done for them (14:11). Not only is a complaining spirit annoying to people around us, it is annoying to God.

     Sometimes I hear fellow pastors complain about the complainers in their congregations. The very thing that bothers them they practice by their own complaining! It is amazing how Moses responded to all the complaints launched toward him.  Moses did two commendable things. First, he took his complaint to God in prayer instead of spreading the contagion among the people he led. Second, he pleaded with God to display mercy and grace to these chronic complainers. That is a good example for all of us regardless of our station in life. All of us “speak the language of criticism and complaint far too fluently.”

     The best antidote to the contaminating communication of complaining is to “Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone” (Colossians 4:6). Paul adds this admonition, “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”

     What practical action can we take to stop the spread of complaining. Be careful of what and how you text or post! I have often wondered, “How much would remain on social media and social networking, if complaints were removed?” When the spirit of complaining arises in our emotions, perhaps it would be helpful to reflect on the observation of William A. Ward, “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts the sail.” There are more constructive responses to life than complaining!           

Don't Just Stand There... Or Should I?

     Often in the face of a crisis we have heard a person cry out in frustration, “Don’t just stand there do something!” The thought expressed is that one’s inaction is an indication that another is distracted, disengaged, or dispassionate about the plight the person is facing. The person in panic is grasping at the hope that any action is better than nothing.

     Psychiatrists tell us that when a person is in peril or enduring some type of trauma they most often respond by fight, flight, or freeze. With the fight response the individual determines to resist the danger before them and in doing so will be able to defeat the peril by their own resources or strength. In the flight mode they assume that if they can change their circumstances by getting away from them then they may be able to muster other resources. Then they will be able to deal with the dilemma at hand or at least find a way of escaping the situation. The frozen reaction finds the person cowering from the danger hoping that in doing so they will be overlooked or ignored. They are hoping that by staying in this state the danger will pass.

     There are occasions when a situation elicits all three responses. The person’s first response is to fight until they realize their resources do not match the foe they face. Then they determine to run away from the peril hoping to avoid such a powerful force. Finally, they conclude that the force is not escapable, thus they collapse in despair, and pull the proverbial emotional blanket over their head until the crisis is over. They falsely conclude, if they do not acknowledge the danger, maybe it will go away. During this entire process adrenalin pulses through their body, emotions explode in their pounding heart, and their reason dissolves in a mind that is overcome by the perilous situation they face.

     Many times, when we do this, things only become worse. It is paradoxical that the same person who yells, “Don’t just stand there do something!” is the same person who will scream when an action is taken, “Stop it! You’re only making matters worse!” The person is frankly admitting that they do not know what needs to be done. It is sort of like the person who gets tangled up in the string of Christmas lights that are being taken down. They yell for help, but when help is provided, they are frustrated with both the solution and the slow pace in which the escape is occurring.

     Perhaps that is how the children of Israel felt in Exodus 14 after God had delivered them from the bondage they had endured in Egypt for over 400 years. They were freed but their captors where in hot pursuit. The Bible record says, “The people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly” (14:10). Then they responded in two ways – one good and one bad. They cried out to the Lord. That’s good. Then they complained to God’s leader, Moses. That’s bad. They were in a sense saying, “Don’t just stand there do something!” Look at how Moses responded, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today” (14:13). How hard it must have been for them to just stand still and wait for God to work. The natural tendencies of fight, flight, or freeze all had to become subservient to faith. They had to have faith in the God who had miraculously delivered them out of Egypt by standing and waiting to see Him work on their behalf once again. How many were thinking, “We’ve got to do something!?” God called upon them by faith to rely upon a faithful God who had demonstrated His almighty power. They were to stand firm and not engage in fruitless activities.

     There have been numerous occasions in life when I should have waited on God to act instead of me acting impulsively and unwisely only to make a mess of things. Instead of facing and fixing a crisis, I only knotted up my life with more problems. Even then I found God mercifully gracious as He managed the messes I made. V.R Edman, former president of Wheaton College advises in The Disciplines of Life, “Remember that with thoughtless and impatient hands we tangle the plans the Lord has wrought, and when we cry in pain He says, ‘Be quiet, dearest, while I untie the knot.’”

     The children of Israel listened, obeyed, and saw again the Lord deliver them just as He promised. God is like that. He is bigger than our problems and He knows exactly how He plans to “untie the knots” we have made. So what problems are you facing that look impossible? A relationship that is collapsing? A financial situation that is overwhelming? An emotional state that is leaving you anxious? A medical prognosis that has you fearful? Maybe this is just the moment you need to stand firm by faith and “see the salvation of the Lord.”

Agent of Change

Are you skeptical when you hear the statement, “It’s never been this bad?” This statement is commonly held, if mass and social media can be trusted as a reliable reflection of what people are thinking. The expression is used to color national politics, morality, religion, social conditions, international relations, and even climate conditions. It seems that whenever someone wants to make a case for something that disturbs them, they dip into the darker shades of the language palette to color their comments with this expression. Certainly, we are living in a less than perfect world. But is it true that, “It’s never been this bad?”

     Reflect upon the time of the birth of Christ. Politically Palestine was under Roman rule. Historians tell us Herod was the  appointed ruler of Galilee (40-4 BC.) His history “is a drama of extraordinary moves of political chicanery accompanied by a succession of atrocious crimes… his reign was one succession of monstrous crimes until his death” (J.W. Shepard). Culture and philosophy in the region were dominated by Greek perspectives that permeated life and thought under the Roman rule. Skepticism ruled in much of their thinking. This influence invaded and dominated religious thought in Palestine when Christ was born. As a result, the Jewish community was divided into the conservative branch of the Pharisees and the more liberal branch of the Hellenistic Jews who were dominated by Greek culture and thought. Morally historians indicate, “The world was in a state of extraordinary moral degeneration.” Slavery was widespread. The rich minority lived in extreme extravagance – the majority in abject poverty. Shepard describes the sexual situation this way, “Chastity and marriage were the exception while divorce and immorality were the rule… Romans had no power to cope with the degeneracy of the times… None of the philosophies could meet the deep moral needs of the times.” The Roman historian Tacitus writing of the world of that day said the goal of the people was “to corrupt and be corrupted.” In this time of history Jesus was born to be an agent of change.

     Describing conditions centuries later during the French Revolution, Charles Dickens wrote about that period in history in A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of disbelief, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Perhaps throughout history one could justly say, “It has never been this bad.” This is the nature of living in an imperfect world. This does not mean one resigns himself to despair. It does mean that one looks for the agent of change that can enter a marred world to make a positive difference.

     Jesus came to be an agent of change in a world of proverbial darkness. Conditions in his world were bleak. God knew that government, dominate religious systems, philosophy, culture, or any other humanly contrived solutions were not a match for what was needed. So, God provided an agent of change in the form of a Divine Solution. The announcement to shepherds in a dark world, tending sheep on a dark field was simple yet profound, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 ESV). The Divine Solution was a Savior; not a politician subject to corruption; not a philosopher with limited wisdom; not a cultural guru proposing transient solutions; not a military leader whose arena of conquest is limited to the physical; and not a financial wizard throwing finances at problems that need more than money. People needed an agent of change that exceeds human capacity to address human depravity. To those shepherds they heard an announcement about an agent of change that could really make a lasting and even eternal changes.

     How did humanity respond to God’s Divine Solution? Sadly, the Apostle John wrote, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). An agent of change is only effective if he is allowed to implement change. What good does it do to have a tile cleaner in the house if the cleaner is never applied to the area needing cleansed? The good news is that when Jesus came there were those who were tired of things being as bad as they were and trusted the announced savior to make things better than they have ever been (John 1:12). Did the world become perfect? Not quite yet. They did however become better for those willing to accept a divine agent of change. Those changed then joined in becoming mini agents of change by becoming lights in the world still shrouded in darkness (Matthew 5:14).

      Christmas reminds us that while things may be “as bad as they have ever been” that God gave the gift of a Divine Solution so that things may be “as good as they have ever been.”     

Christmas Letter 2019

Christmas Letter December 2019

This update is a replacement for the traditional Christmas card. We have joined with many of our family and friends who have replaced physical cards with electronic greetings. I trust you and your family are doing well.

The small white lights on our front porch punch holes in the wintery darkness of our neighborhood. To me it is a visual reminder that Jesus came to earth as a baby to be the Savior of the world. The Apostle John describes Jesus as “the light that shined in darkness” (John 1:5). He adds that those who “receive him [as the light], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (1:12). That’s encouragement for a world that could stand an infusion of good news. Our family wishes you blessings in the New Year!

This year has been an interesting one for Doris and Bob. Last December Bob underwent a hip replacement. He spent much of the winter months doing therapy after responsibilities as Pastor at Large at Lancaster Bible College (LBC). In the Spring Doris underwent emergency surgery in May to remove a large mass from her abdomen. We are thanking the Lord that she was given a good report and after 6 weeks of restrictions she was back officiating lacrosse. She also is active in Child Evangelism Fellowship (teaching and board member), volunteering at Calvary Fellowship Homes (Thrift Shop, Gift shop, and various committees), and teaching a ladies Bible class at our home church, and interacting with lots of ladies fellowships.

Bob continues to serve at LBC but with a new title as an “Ambassador for Lancaster Bible College/ Capital Seminary and Graduate School.” The functions are mainly the same, but he has the flexibility to control his schedule a bit more. Bob continues to preach, do conferences, mentor students, and interact with pastors and churches. He also is writing articles for a local newspaper every five weeks, and serves on the Board of Directors for Calvary Fellowship Homes. Basically Bob continues to drive Doris crazy as she likes to plan in advance and he likes to “wing” it! The Lord has been so good to us and we look forward to our 50th anniversary in June.

Front: Doris, Kristine, Calvin, Lewis (very front), Emma, Meg. Back: Bob, Andy, Reid, Charlotte, Jamie, Kathryn.

 

Andy continues to teach in upstate NY as well as raise steers, chickens, and other farm products. Kristine homeschools Calvin, breeds labs, and maintains the farm. The children are involved in sports and many other activities making Mom the chauffeur. Charlotte continues teaching at Carin University, Valley Christian School, and Veritas (online). Jamie continues to work with “Capture” (working with colleges to assist in student recruitment and marketing). Their children too are involved in sports and many other activities—parents are on the run. All the families are active in their churches and it great to see their children growing in the Lord.

Doris and Bob got to travel some to Cape Cod, MA; Cape May, NJ; and numerous trips to be with the family. We had special times too with family and friends. A fun time with Irish family (Naill and Kathryn Collum and their children) as they visited with us and our children. Keep in touch! Email: bdreid1@verizon.net or Facebook (friend me!). Blog: reidsreflection.blogspot.com

Character Over Fame

Halloween has become big business. A strip-mall near us opened a seasonal store in an empty space that once housed a chain’s craft store. It is advertised as being some sort of “Halloween central.” Looking through the massive windows as I passed by, it appeared like every imaginable item for Halloween was on display. Ghoulish costumes were hung beside life-like skeletons. Pumpkins were positioned beside fake caldrons which I suppose will be a prop for a costumed witch. The mega-mall of Halloween “necessities” also had racks and racks of costumes depicting various professions and popular personalities. I can only guess that somewhere among those racks there was some kind outlandish outfit that represented Lady Gaga.

     There is no question that Lady Gaga continues to be a famous cultural figure. Recently she was listed in Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential people of 2019 right beside Taylor Swift, Michelle Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump, and Pope Francis, among others. As a trick-or-treater, which costume depicting one of the 100 most influential people would you choose? Would your choice say something about you?

     Popularity carries with it a lot of baggage. If you have any doubts, consider a three-word tweet that Lady Gaga, the 33-year old Grammy and Oscar-winning singer posted, “Fame is prison.” The tweet has generated all sorts of speculation even suggesting this is the title of her next album. Others conclude she is expressing the pressure she faces due to the constant scrutiny and oppressive expectations people place upon her. It is well known that Lady Gaga has battled anxiety and depression since her teenage years. Days before this tweet, her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, was on “CBS This Morning” talking about the struggles Gaga had that led up to their co-founding “Born This Way Foundation.” This foundation focuses upon helping young people to practice mental and emotional wellbeing.

     Whether or not this is the title of her next album is not the main point. It is a reality – “Fame is prison.”

History is littered with people who have had their lives smothered by fame. Aggravating this problem is social media as well as mass media in general. How many of us have sadly seen a celebrity’s child hounded by paparazzi as they are simply trying to go about ordinary tasks in their everyday lives. It is sad to see a photograph of Princess Charlotte going on a simple task with her mother, Duchess Catherine, surrounded by cameras pressing upon her. What a claustrophobic experience for a young child. How can she live normally? Her fame has caused her to be surrounded by people who cared little for her. They are preoccupied by her fame and have imprisoned her daily activities with unnecessary intrusions. Do all people bearing the burden of fame feel the same emotional weight?

     How does one deal with such pressure? Jesus knew something of the pressure of fame. Fame comes from many sources. There is fame associated with popularity when a person is held in high esteem. Jesus was regarded as a popular speaker and engaged in magnificent works. The result was he was surrounded by people pressing upon him. A whole city was gathered at the house where he stayed so that there was no more room for people to get near him (Mark 1:32-33; 2:1-3) and he and his disciples did not even have time to eat (3:20).

      There is another sort of fame that arises when one becomes a cultural pariah – when one is considered the enemy of culture’s status quo. Jesus faced this too as the religious establishment looked at him as competition who would upset life as they lived it (John 11:46-48). They looked at him and his fame and ultimately plotted to eliminate him and influenced a crowd to join them in this quest.

      Emily Dickinson well said, “Fame is a fickle food - Upon a shifting plate.” The same people who crowded around Jesus because they could not get enough of him were the same people later in his life that wanted nothing to do with him. They wanted to destroy him. They cried, “Crucify him!”

     Lady Gaga looks at her fame as a prison. Perhaps it is now, but the fame will dissipate. Fame is a moment in time that will pass as it dims into oblivion. Considering this may I offer several suggestions: don’t live for fame; don’t be distracted by fame; don’t be ruled by fame; and don’t be changed by fame. Work on being a person of godly character, not a person of temporary fame. Character always trumps fame!                  

To Groan or Not to Groan

Observing a retirement community often allows an individual to observe different perspectives on living. Almost every day one sees people dealing with changes in life. That which was so common in one’s earlier days seems like a dream fading upon the dawning of another day. Things which formerly brought pleasure seem to diminish as limitations arise which were not factors in the recent past. People that enriched one’s life are no longer as close as they once had been. Mobility, mortality, or a multitude of time-consuming activities now filling one’s life seem to restrict those connections. Now saying, “What’s on the calendar for the day,” means what doctor’s appointments do I have, or whose funeral service am I to attend today?

     Pursuits that once occupied one’s time are either beyond one’s physical capability, or are no longer available options, or cease to generate the same interest they once did. The mountains that were once exciting to climb now pose obstacles (Are they handicapped accessible?). The occupation once motivating them to get out of bed in the morning now is a finished phase of life (We did get the gold watch and retirement cake, didn’t we?). Frankly, pursuits of the past are not the preoccupation of the present.

     Passions that once drove individuals have slipped on the list of priorities. A comfortable bed at 10:00 PM seems much more appealing than watching the conclusion of Monday Night Football. Who cares which football team of millionaires will win a game micromanaged by instant replays! Acquiring more antiques perhaps was once enjoyable. Now such an activity seems more of a hassle as one considers the inevitable task of downsizing one’s possessions or placing a burden upon heirs who really don’t want the antique collection and is now tasked with liquidating the items.

     Individuals with such perspectives groan frequently about life. The chief reason is they are looking backward to the past and consider now what they cannot do. Heightening such feelings is the constant focus upon bad news that only accelerates the descent into a groaning despondency. The 24/7 news cycle frankly does not elicit positive perspectives. It just adds more negativity into one’s life. Too often the newscasters intentionally spin a news item in such a way that is bleak so that viewers with keep checking in to see if things have gotten better or worse. Consider too how preoccupied individuals have become with the Weather Channel. They become depressed on a beautiful day with the prospect of a storm that may or may not occur in five days. The forecasters do not emphasize the beautiful days. They stress the storms, saying, “Check back with us for further updates on this developing storm.” Perspectives can be influenced by what one focuses upon.

     The Apostle Paul was not blind to living in a difficult and changing world. In fact, he said on one occasion, “While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh” (2 Cor. 5:4 NLT). He had endured a difficult life saying, “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die.” (2 Cor. 1:8-9 NLT). His perspective, however, was not a defeatist one. He focused upon something that encouraged him. He wrote, “We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” (2 Cor. 1:9-10 NLT). Focus changed perspective and perspective changed the way he lived a difficult life. Looking back, he could have descended into a groaning despondency. However, he chose to look above and ahead, and this perspective changed everything.

     Paul did groan in a positive way. He also wrote that looking ahead he groaned for the future he had before him, saying, “We will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing” (2 Cor. 5:1-2 NLT). He longed, even groaned, to put off his temporary body and enjoy what God had prepared for him. Perspective can be positive in the present, even if difficult, when one focuses upon the future that God has prepared for us.

     There are numerous older folks in retirement communities that are groaning. Some groan because they are focused upon past and present difficulties. Others groan in a positive way and see beyond where they are and focus upon the future they have before them. Maybe it is time for all of us to have an altered perspective as we live our lives – no matter our age!