The UConn Women’s Basketball team is off to the Final Four for the 14th straight time. After the team’s double overtime win against NC State this week, I was touched by an interview with Coach Geno Auriemma.  He was emotional as reporter Holly Rowe asked how he was feeling after the significant win. (You can watch on YouTube if you’d like!)  Anyway, Geno said, “I think when you’re younger, you know, you think ‘I got a million of these left in me’ you know and you get to a certain age then where you go, ‘I don’t know how many of these I have left.’ You don’t know how many opportunities you’re going to get to be in this game. It means more.” 

We live in a society that doesn’t deal well with aging.  Of course we know that our bodies change as we get older.  We know this.  We know that it entails more than just grey hair and wrinkles.  (As an aside, the Mayo Clinic has especially helpful advice about healthy aging.)  Now we might have clear ideas about how aging will affect us.  Maybe we are currently thinking about this!  Maybe we’ve walked with a loved one through the natural process of getting older.  But it’s good to talk about what folks are facing and to be open about it.  What was striking about Geno’s interview is that he was emotional and incredibly honest.  Maybe in that moment it was becoming clearer to him that tomorrow is not guaranteed.  He has gotten older and has coached more teams.  Going to the Final Four, does, in fact, mean more to him now than it did years ago because his perspective has changed.

I am thankful that we have an intergenerational church here at CFC.  We have people in our church family from all ages and stages of life.  That is truly a blessing, as we can learn from each other and be there for each other as we are facing different moments on our life’s journey.  These connections are important.  And do you know what helps with your memory and thinking skills as you age?  Being social.  Humans are social creatures.  We are not meant to go it alone, thank God.

Love,
Pastor Lauren 

Photo by Kylie Osullivan on Unsplash

Thursday Thoughts 3/31/22