April 2, 2025 The headline read, “elderly woman struck by car.” I wrote the story, but the newspaper’s editor wrote the headline. While I don’t recall her exact age, the woman who had been struck by the vehicle was in her 90s. That woman called the newspaper office a few days later, and she was not happy. “You called me elderly,” she said, disgust dripping from her voice. “I’m not elderly.” I understood her position. Her voice and speech made it seem like she was quite spirited and lively. The word “elderly” also carries a certain connotation, and I can understand someone not wanting the word applied to them. I’m not a fan of being reminded that I’m aging, either. I also found it comical. “If 90 isn’t elderly, what is?” I asked. It can be hard when someone challenges the narratives we’ve written in our minds, and it can be hard to honestly examine who we are and where we are on our journeys. For example, I like to think of myself as non-judgmental. So, I recoiled a bit when a friend recently pointed out a moment when I was judging a person unfairly. Similarly, I recoiled a bit when a trusted advisor reminded me how much God loves me when the narrative in my mind was telling me I was unworthy of that love. My narratives have been challenged several times this Lent. That feels appropriate. Lent is the perfect opportunity for God to show me areas of my life where He’s calling me to do better and be better, and it’s the perfect opportunity for me to ask God to give me the grace and strength I’ll need to do that work. Lent is a great time for God to show me His mercy and love, and it’s a great time to lean into finding God’s narrative and putting mine aside. That’s striking, too, and it never gets old. |
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