I was about to shave this morning when I caught my reflection in the mirror. There was no doubt about it. My body was growing older. My formerly thick hair which used to be brown with a touch of gray was now gray with a touch of brown. It was hard to see on top too with so little of it left there. My forehead wrinkles had become permanent and when I smiled a hundred more curled up around my eyes and mouth. I thought about letting my beard grow for a second but didn’t really want to look like Santa Claus. When I stepped back I could see I had gotten chunkier as well because while my metabolism had slowed my eating hadn’t. My muscles also tended to be achier and my body creakier. And the file clerk in my mind seemed to be misplacing things a lot more often. I was even thinking of writing stuff down more so I could remember what I came into a room for. In spite of it all, though, when I looked in the mirror again I caught a sparkle in my eyes. I smiled and felt a joy in my heart. I knew that no matter what my reflection looked like, my soul was forever young.

The truth is while I have been steadily growing older on the outside I have for a while now been growing younger on the inside. I can remember how serious, stressed, and worried I was in my twenties and thirties. I often felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. Now at fifty three my heart feels lighter and my days look brighter. I feel like a true “Child” of God free to laugh, to sing, to dance, to love, and to help others do the same. I worry less and smile more. I have a lot more faith and a lot less fear. I let my love lead me and face the pains and problems of this world with the loving-kindness of the next.

In the end all of our bodies will wear out and die, but WE won’t. Our young souls will go on forever. Spend your days growing younger then. Let the child within you live and love.