A few weeks ago, TIME magazine published a series of articles on aging, found here, and the race to cure it. The stories ranged from the different drugs scientists are researching that seem to reverse aging, the connection between mind and body in longer life, and what you can do to increase your own life expectancy. The science is incredibly fascinating and remarkable, the tips for healthy living are helpful and backed by tons of research, and it is quite exciting to think of the many potential breakthroughs. But the research and trends also reveal a current within our society well below the surface that won’t be addressed by science or technology: our fear of death, of our own mortality.
I think science is great, that technology has done wonderful things for humanity, and that the attempts to cure major diseases are worthy endeavors. But age is not a disease – it is not something that needs curing. It is a gift, something to be received, something to be enjoyed as a precious part of the human experience. I think when we become so consumed with trying to take care of our life in the future, insuring it lasts longer that normal, we neglect the life that is right before us. As cliche as it sounds, living each day as if it might be your last is a healthy maxim. It is good to keep our mortality always before us. Our limits are actually boundaries to be embraced, not transcended and surpassed. Transcendence is God’s thing – we’ve never been very good at it.
Now much of my thoughts are birthed out of my Christian convictions that death is not the final word, but that in Christ, there is life upon life after our last breath. In Christ, death is not something of which to be feared, but just another journey in which Christ has gone before us. We have a good guide in death, not someone who throws out mere speculations about what death might be like, but one who has entered into death itself and come out on the other side transfigured and transformed. And this journey was not just for God’s own sake, but for us. What hope we have in Christ!
If death, though unnatural and contrary to God’s intentions, is a gift to be received, then age is as well. Scripture speaks highly of old age, saying “Grey hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” Nowadays, the first sign of grey hair necessitates a trip to CVS for some hair dye. Our culture is so fixated and centered on youth that we can neglect the wisdom, the experience, and the beauty of the elderly. I work with youth – sure, their skin is (generally) clean and smooth, their stamina and energy is unmatched, and they have a passion and vigor for life that is enticing. But they can also be quite daft – their muscles may be strong, but their brains are still taking shape. While there are things that I miss about youth, I’m excited to be the age that I am, and I look forward to the years that God may choose to give me.
I’m going to die. You’re going to die. This is a part of life. Christ has not abandoned us to experience it alone. Maybe it’s not new drugs, smarter technology, or increased knowledge that we need to deal with our mortality. Maybe it’s a reconciled relationship with the one who offers us life upon life with no strings attached.
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