We build relationships and friendships on commonalities. Whether it be our educational background, work history, religious or political beliefs, weather, sports we participate in or teams we root for, or a host of other life experiences, we tend to make friends with those whom we have something in common. Years ago I remember people older than me talking about their medical problems, operations, medicines and other issues related to failing health or aging in general.
And now, it seems that I have become one of those "older" folks and the topics of discussion and mutual interest have become aches and pains, fatigue, pills, holistic remedies, parts of our bodies which don't function as they used to, have been surgically removed or need to be fixed in some way or another. The prayer lists at the churches we attend, the friends and family who are suffering with medical problems, undergoing serious operations, or having to make unscheduled emergency room visits is non-stop and growing more frequent every day. The eleven pills I take in the morning and the seven I take in the evening is small compared with some of my acquaintances, and have you ever looked at the number of prescriptions waiting to be picked up at the Walmart pharmacy?
Part of getting older is that life throws us a lot more curves, the fast balls get by us before we can get the bat around, and life becomes a lot of "I know exactly how you feel" and "been there....done that". In many ways, in the problems other face, we can empathize because we've been through it already and can give some comfort where we have been comforted and, likewise, receive comfort from another who has been comforted. The topics of interest may have changed, but it's good to know that we are not alone, we're not the first to have faced what we are facing, and if we can't share with another person, we have Someone who intimately knows our situation and is always available when we call on Him. Who could ask for a better Friend than that...........Thank You, Lord.
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