Joe Mazzella
Getting older is a funny thing. When I was a teenager I would lift weights in the morning, jog 2 ½ miles to the local swimming pool, and then swim the rest of the afternoon. Well the other night I slept the tiniest bit crooked and woke up with my entire back twisted into one, gigantic knot.
As I near my 60th birthday it’s become clear to me that my body is starting to feel like an old car that I am trying to keep running without any replacement parts. Each year it seems to get a little more rusted and broken down and I know it isn’t going to last forever. My soul may be eternal but this pile of flesh and bones carrying it around certainly is not.
I also recently realized that I am now almost 5 years older than my Mom was when she died from Cancer at only 55 years old. It never seemed fair to me that she passed away so young. She was such a good person. She shared more loving-kindness in her brief life here than I could ever share in mine. I still miss her every single day. But in the quiet moments I can still feel her love deep inside my heart. And I know that one day I will see her again in a place of never-ending love, joy, and light.
Thinking of my Mom made me see something too: It isn’t the number of years you live here that are important, it is the life you put into them. It isn’t the strength of your body that’s important, it is the strength of your Love. God Loves us and God put us here to love each other. God put us here to do good, be kind, share smiles, and spread joy. God put us here to laugh, sing, dance, create, help others, and make this world a better place. It doesn’t matter if you live 5, 55, or 105 years. The only thing that matters is that you LIVE! The only thing that matters is that you LOVE!