Old Complaints

"I'm very pleased with each advancing year. It stems back to when I was forty. I was a bit upset about reaching that milestone, but an older friend consoled me. 'Don't complain about growing old - many, many people do not have that privilege." -- Earl Warren, Chief Justice

There's lots of calamity these days. Lots to complain about. Those of us born a little farther from the apocalypse like to complain about growing old. After all, the best we can do is prolong our short life a bit before we inevitably die like everyone else.

I went for my annual physical this week. (Sorry "Health Evaluation" as the nurse now called it. "A physical is something ordered by your job.") I'm fine, thanks. Another nurse walked by while I was being measured (blood pressure, pulse, etc.) She had just gotten back from Addis Ababa. She talked about how third world it was and how she would complain a lot less now. I had a similar experience traveling to Nairobi many years ago.

It's not that complaining is so bad. We should get our bad feelings out and off our chest. Perhaps, though, we could also spend a little more time looking at our blessings and remembering to thank God for them.