Younger Days of Missing Presence

Being Present From This Day Forward

As we grow into our 50s and beyond, we begin to re-evaluate ourselves, our circumstances and relationships.  

Like a well-oiled machine, we parented (some of us as single parents) worked, managed the household, and satisfied relatives and co-workers.

We want to find peace with the bumps we had in our roads.  Spending time wondering why we behaved or misbehaved is useless.  At this point, we know if we were right or wrong or maybe right at the time because of the information available at that moment. 

Now we try and allow ourselves time, time to explore, time to understand and maybe even time to forgive.  

Many of us begin to distance ourselves from people or situations that we felt obligated to.  We now understand that we’ve put time into areas that have caused us discomfort for far too long and need to be altered, either by distancing as best as we can (if it’s family, that’s delicate) or maybe removal.  This in itself gives us more time, not just by distancing, but by no longer needing time to recuperate from being in the presence of difficult people or situations.

We are all trying to do our best knowing that our best doesn’t always agree with the rest of the world.  It’s monumental to get to a place in your life where you’re not afraid to upset someone by simply protecting your peace.   

You now may have the chance to explore something you always wanted to, and you might be pleasantly surprised when realizations begin where you didn’t even know needed understanding.

You may want to know how to maintain a beautiful garden when you live in a deer-infested area, or you just want to know why an in-law resented you for decades.    Silly?  ….not really.  

So let’s say the time is ours now to decide where we put our time.  This could be a time when parents need extra care and/or you’re a grandparent, both enjoying and maybe even helping out with the babysitting.  

Whatever it takes, now is our time to be present in every endeavor. The days of moving and doing in “overdrive” to keep others happy are in our “rearview mirror”.  

Proverbs 14:7 (ESV)

“Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge”

Matthew 10:14 (NIV)

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.”