Just Today
I was awakened this morning by a phone call from the nursing home in New York where my 94 year old mother is living. They told me that she was being rushed to the hospital because her blood count was quite low. She hasn’t been eating much lately and my sister and I have kept a watchful and concerned eye on her and asked the doctors to do some tests.

The Aging Process
In the last few months I’ve been thinking a whole lot about aging and of course that includes the process of dying as well. But, I have read too many articles lately on the spirituality of aging that focus on dying rather than living. My mom reminded me of that when I spoke to her. “How are you and what are you doing in a hospital,” I asked. She answered and I could see her smiling, “I’m dancing.”  My mom has always been an awesome dancer. I fancied myself a dancer when I was younger as well. Now that my hips and legs just don’t work the way they used to, I’ve taken to using dance as a major metaphor for living well with whatever life presents at the moment.

What’s your metaphor?
Perhaps it comes from something you no longer do – either because you are unable or because you have simply chosen not to. The past is not something to mourn over and lament that we can no longer do what we once did. That’s what causes struggle and upset in the aging process. The past tells us a lot about what has been important and if it still is important, we can find a way to use the metaphor.

I’d love to hear what you’ve discovered.

In the meantime, pause and ponder the words of the song by Lee Ann Womack

Here are the lyrics:

I Hope You Dance lyrics
Songwriters: Sanders, Mark D.; Sillers, Tia;

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances but they’re worth taking
Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth making

Don’t let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
[- From :http://www.elyrics.net/read/l/lee-ann-womack-lyrics/i-hope-you-dance-lyrics.html -]

I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Dance
I hope you dance
(Dance)
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder
(Dance)
Where those years have gone
(Dance)