Aging

As I get older, I am finding more excuses not to attend social events. Recently, some-one reassured me that this is a natural part of the aging process. I think they were being kind - as I have also been told by a close friend that it’s just because I’m a grumpy so and so. 
Whatever the reason I found myself invited to a reunion of sorts made up of a half a dozen men whom I had last seen in 1972 when we all left “big school” to take our place in the real world. I had avoided previous meetings for a variety of reasons but the time had come to face my demons. Although  our combined ages reached back to the year of James 1 coronation, when I got there I soon realised that underneath the changes in our exterior appearances, - less hair and differently distributed muscle -we were still, at heart, those same 18 year olds with the same affectations, speech patterns and sense of humour.  At times,  age showed its hand as we struggled to remember the name of a particular teacher or classmate. Our conversational topics began with ailments and aches, moved on through marriages and divorces , to career choices, ending up with a pause to remember friends no longer with us. Those who died too soon,  remained as they were in 1972 in our combined memories.  We thanked God or nature for their place in our lives. We ended up exchanging stories on how grandchildren are time bandits in the nicest ways possible and how we were unprepared for our feelings when we first laid eyes on those precious little ones. We had all experienced that lethal 4 point approach taken by grandchildren to acquire new toys. “Saw it, want it, asked Grampa- got it”
We talked about our life experiences, shared great memories of our alma mater and how we all believed that we were going to change the world. At school we had been encouraged to think for ourselves - to be creators rather than consumers of history.  It seemed to me that in many ways we had taken up that challenge.  The differences we made were small, marginal in the grand scheme of things, perhaps. But things would have looked different had we not followed our calling. Surprisingly there was no discussion on politics. Maybe, we shared things more personally significant by giving thanks for our journeys, and agreeing that we had all glimpsed a better future in the smiles  of our grandchildren.
Unexpectedly I enjoyed rather than endured the occasion.  Why?  Maybe it reminded me that who I am today is largely due to the accompaniment of the many people who journeyed with me for a while. For their support and challenge I am thankful to God. Maybe today you could thank someone who has influenced you along the way.