Letter: Focusing on things that matter

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
— George Bernard Shaw

Growing old is a privilege. But I don’t want to kid you: Old age is tough and has its challenges. Start preparing yourself now. Not just financially, but mentally, physically and spiritually.

What you and I do in Asheville or any local community affects the nation. No, it’s not easy to face the world, and yet there is something beautiful and awesome to be experienced as we stumble through life. Adult mental development does not stop after high school or college.

We are always becoming, so who are you going to be? We are all an unfinished symphony participating in a democracy that demands your educated participation. Today’s decision can affect hundreds of years into the future.

In our first half of life, we lay spiritual foundations that prepare us for our later years. I call this “lifelong learning” that helps create a zest for living where we can be more free, more aware and more courageous as we react to our uncertain times and move into our more mature years.

I suggest that you do not let your life just float by. As parents, teachers, employers, employees and citizens, what we do at the local level has consequences for our community, state, nation and the world. The choices we make today will influence our grandchildren’s children’s lives in the search for truth, goodness and beauty. The truth forces us to consider unpleasant hard facts.

And, for those with the privilege of advanced years, I suggest that you turn your thoughts to the younger generations, whose future is jeopardized by our violence and neglect of the world. Today, we need to plant seeds of possibility for a supportive and caring society.

Perhaps we focus too much on politics rather than going into our inner selves.

Recently, I had two positive experiences of connecting with our community. One was Helene: People came to my front door to give us water and offer help, and I heard stories of people helping each other.

The second was a small gathering in Pack Square Park. I’m inspired to share this because of an Armistice Day celebration on what our government calls “Veterans Day,” which has a tendency to celebrate military power rather than the call for peace on Earth and good will to each other. The music, poetry and readings focused on things that matter with a call to a better future. The Rev. Sara Wilcox of Land of the Sky United Church of Christ expressed a vision of today’s world that includes hope, trust and solidarity: a society that builds a world where we can put aside our weapons and live together in peace. Isn’t that worth something to fight for?

I see the need for change that involves all of us. Read, reflect and participate with others in a lifelong journey to expand your life into new insights into a larger notion of truth, goodness and beauty that brings people together. Inspiration can come through the written or spoken word, a book, a sentence or a story that will inspire you with a zest for living on into your senior years.

“Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have the answers. Let me keep company always with those who say ‘Look!’ and laugh in astonishment.” — Mary Oliver

Readers can reach me at esacco189@gmail.com.

— Ed Sacco
Asheville