Take joy!

Fra Giovanni’s Christmas Prayer
I salute you! 
There is nothing I can give you which you have not; 
but there is much that, while I cannot give, you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.  
Take Heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in the present moment.  
Take Peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach is joy. 
Take Joy!

This dearly beloved poem came to me, sitting here & remembering a surprising discussion I had last night with an older friend.  

Every Tuesday, I chauffeur a grannie client from her full-service senior residence to our hometown's more simple retirement village.  It doesn't offer all the conveniences my grannie client enjoys every day, but it has one of the greatest draws of any elder community - friends & family who have known her since she was a wee tadger.  Priceless! 

Last night, our table of four got to discussing summer plans.  For the first time since my trips abroad, in my 20s, my summer/fall is full to overflowing.  Creative Aging, Village to Village Network, Omega, Sage-ing International, Building Coalitions ~ each workshop or conference connects to my interest in eldering issues.

The woman sitting to my left, who has known me since forever, asked, "So you will be well-versed in the problems faced getting older?"  

My response took me by delicious surprise.  First, my body seemed literally filled with a great whoosh of beaming light.  The light manifested itself in speech - "My heavens, no!" I answered, "In the joy, in the advantages, in the unique perspective & opportunities that come with greater age, especially great age!!"

It was a remarkable experience, so out of the blue.  The words came out of my mouth without any sense of my saying them.  In that moment, there wasn't a scintilla of doubt in mind, heart or spirit about my path.  My life has prepared me to take & scatter joy - amazing grace!!!