Thursday, September 13, 2012

Tired

This time of year I am tired.  The school year has just begun and I have lots of demands to prepare for this and that and to do guest lectures here and there.

The last few years I have been struck by how much more quickly I tire.  Cycle a few miles, work a while, run a few miles, lift a few weights, teach for 3 hours, write a few hundred words, read a few thousand, review a paper and I am whipped!  Being tired is not so unusual, but I am tired to the extreme.  A couple of nights I have slept 9 hours straight.

I blame my early and profound fatigue on my advanced age. I am not complaining.  I get around well, and typically pain free.  I can cycle and run and lift weights.  Most people would be tired. I understand and am grateful for good health.

But aging is new to me.  I have never been this old before ;).  Early fatigue is a price I pay for living to old age.  But old age has its rewards too.  Wisdom comes with age, but as the Chinese remind us, "sometimes age comes alone."  Our finances have never been so good.  Our children are grown and we have no known felony convictions for any of them.

Life in old age is enjoyable for us.  We wouldn't trade it if we could.  But the big reward is this, No matter how long I may live, I am closer to heaven than ever before.

And won't that be nice?

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