A couple of years ago, I wrote that I was enjoying my 40s
much more than any other age, primarily because of experience and wisdom. Now
that I am tackling my fifty-second year, I’d say the notions of experience and
wisdom continue to play an important role in my enjoying my age/life.
I have, however, added a new tool to my age/life enjoyment
collection: the realization that I don’t need to get all worked up about people
or situations I cannot change. When I was younger and someone lied about me or portrayed
me in an untrue, negative light, I would get angry and want to get even. In my
mind, those who had wronged me had to pay for what they had done to me. (Sort
of an Old Testament take on interactions with others.) That kind of behavior was not healthy and
continued to feed off itself, festering much like a boil in need of a good
lancing.
I’m not quite sure when that realization sunk in. It wasn’t
because of reading a self-help book. I abhor such wastes of trees and find
annoying and pathetic people who continually pepper their conversations with
self-help gobbledygook in an effort to appear more intelligent than they really
are. (Just be yourself! … but that is a topic for another post.) It wasn’t as
dramatic as God speaking to me from a burning bush. I can’t pinpoint any particular “ah-ha
moment.” The notion that I didn’t need to get all worked up just gradually
became a part of my being.
I haven’t yet achieved the Mother Teresa level of loving and
forgiving those who have behaved badly toward me. It still bothers me when
someone lies about me or falsely accuses me, but once I have stated my side of
it (if I am given the chance to do so), I am done with it. I find peace in the
fact that all parties involved know the truth and God knows the truth and will
take care of the wrong-doers in His own good time.
Some will say “what about those who believe the lies of
others?” I have no control over them, either. I don’t hate them, but you can
bet I will be cautious of them in the future. My only consolation is that
someday, God will show them the truth.
As I was writing this, I realized that I was wearing my
tie-dyed peace sign shirt. I bought it because it was colorful and I liked the
way it looked. Ironic that I am wearing it while writing this post. Perhaps the
shirt is an indication of how I should end this post. So for now, I will leave
you with peace.
