Every Age She's Ever Been

I'm sure you've seen this brain-teaser puzzle before. Is it a drawing of an old woman, eyes downcast, wearing a frown? Or wait, is it a young woman turning her head away, wearing a ribbon around her neck? Once your eyes have seen one it's difficult to focus on the other again. I dare say that's the way it is in real life. My mother in law is 86, she lives in her own home, with only her little dog for company. She's content, most of the time. We know she's lonely, but this is where she wants to be; and will be, until she can't stay there by herself anymore. We take her anywhere she needs to go outside of her immediate neighborhood, to church, to the mall, to the doctor's office, to the drug store; she's happy with this arrangement. I picked her up for our monthly circle meeting on Tuesday. She was ready when I got there, she was wearing her Christmas sweater. We talked about friends and family on the short drive to the meeting; sadly, friends and family who are no longer living, she had chosen the topic. I felt a sense of sadness seeping in by the time we arrived. I helped her up the steps and went back out to move the car, once she was settled. When I entered a second time she had taken a seat at a table that was already full; I sat down at the next table and couldn't help but notice, as time went on, what a great time the ladies at mother's table we having. All of similar age to mother, these women were not only smiling and giggling(!), but clapping their hands in delight! I was curious about the conversation at that table. I later learned that our female Pastor had asked who at the table had ever worn a crown, been in a beauty pageant or been on a homecoming court. The answer? Quite a few! I never knew that my own mother in law had been a beauty queen when she was sophomore in high school, or that we had a former Potato Queen and Basketball Queen in our midst. These ladies were transported back to happy, carefree days through these memories; back to times when they felt beautiful and hopeful and excited about life. It was a wonder to behold. Mom was happy all the way home, she asked if we could stop at the mall; we did, she was gleeful and chipper as we shopped, I noticed that she even had a slight spring to her step as we navigated between the stores! We talked about mailing packages and Christmas dinner on the drive back to her house, no more sad conversations about departed loved ones. I thanked our Pastor the next day for injecting such a great mood-brightener into our Circle meeting, I explained how it had worked wonders even hours later. She reminded me of this passage, from Ecclesiastes:

"I'M EVERY AGE I'VE EVER BEEN"
( I have put eternity in their hearts Eccl 3:11)

I hadn't thought about it that way, but yes... I am, too; every age I've ever been. I love that! Now, go back up and look at that picture puzzle again. Can you see it, every age she's ever been?

Life is Good!