I remember as a young man, I was given a clear sense of the brevity of life. It came  to me while looking at old pictures.  I saw a picture of my dad on the floor on his hands and knees and I was on his back as about a 3-year-old. That picture woke me up because I had a similar picture of me on my hands and knees and my girls on my back.

Something in me clicked and I realized how subtly but quickly life marches on. Throughout most my years it has been my conscious realization.  I remember my mom and dad at my age. I remember my parents turning 40, then 50 then 60. I remember clearly dad passing away at 65. I remember mom seeming young at 70, snow skiing not really slowing down much. We celebrated her 80th several years ago and she was still doing income taxes, still skiing, still square dancing and still delivering meals on wheels “to the old people.” It seemed nothing would ever change, she would live forever!

Mom just turned 86 on January 30th and just like that her vibrancy is gone. Cancer is winning. This person who was once the most vibrant person you would ever want to meet, a lady with a presence and personality you couldn’t miss, is going the way of all the earth. It is a well-worn path we all will travel.

I was at lunch a week or so a go with a group of work mates. One of the ladies said, “This is a tough year for me.” We asked why. She said, “I’m turning 40 this year.” My mind instantly flashed back to turning 40, which seems like weeks ago. It dawned on me, I’m turning 60! How can that be?

Once you are out of your teen years, you will never hit an age where looking back makes life seem long! It always seems like it is flying past and like a snowball rolling down hill accelerates as it goes. So, mom at 86 can look back and say where did life go, how could it pass so quickly.

Scripture says in Psalm 90, teach us to number our days so we can live them wisely. Other Scriptures say, life is like the dew, gone so quickly. As Ecclesiastes 12 reminds us, serve your creator in the days of your youth. When we are in our 20’s and 30’s we think we have forever. There will be plenty of time for whatever.

I encourage you based on the brevity of life to choose each day to make it count. Love God, love people and live today with an eye on eternity. Before we know it, our life will be at its end and we will be stepping into eternity.

Ponder this.

Blessings,

Scott