Something about the end of summer, or any season for that matter reminds me of Psalm 90 where Moses, Spirit inspired writes, “So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Don’t the seasons of summer, fall, winter and spring seem to pass swiftly as we age? As we each evaluate the use of our time in light of the brevity of life on earth, the idea of purpose and meaning come to mind. Happiness seems to soar when we are fulfilling the dreams and aspirations of our youth, or our paths are filled with blessings too numerous to count. Maybe we wonder about whether life has not gone the way we thought it should. But does such reflection really matter in lieu of living life forwardly- so to speak? As we age, life takes on different perceptions. I must say that one of the most wonderful aspects of being in geriatric work is that there is so much wisdom to glean from the hearts and minds of the well-aged among us.

What an honor and privilege it is to have a fine excuse to ask questions about one’s well-being in order to assess their “bio-psycho-social-eco-geo” insights into what we call life! As a geriatric nurse specializing in care management, initial and ongoing assessments are routine for every case. Can I admit how much I am almost always blessed by the insights of the aged folks I assess from case to case? While helping families of aging persons or the aging persons themselves, I cannot help to ask as much as I can about the “good old days?” One of the more familiar questions I ask is what the aging person did for a living? What were family relations recalled or people influencers. This says much about a person’s lifestyle or position in life. Most importantly, one’s past is a resource for reflection and reminiscing. It’s especially nice when an aging person has the resource of people in their lives, past or present. For some of us, our family makes the largest impact on our lives and for others it may have been their work or missions. Everyone has or has had a passion or many passions in their lifetime. What’s yours, I kindly ask myself oftentimes.

There have been countless interactions in my work that have allowed for me to take a glance into an aging person’s past that has been filled with all sorts of different revelries such as involvement in our nation’s part in world wars, working for famous persons or even speaking with some famous people themselves! I have met with dreamers, thinkers, pioneers, inventers, heroes, servants, philosophers, poets, musicians, writers, mothers or fathers, daughters and sons and cousins, grandparents and godparents; politicians and those who could care less for politics; pilots, ship captains, world travelers or ordinary train riders, horsemen, statesmen, designers and dressmakers, coaches and players, teachers and students, chefs and foodies alike, woodcrafters and cabinet makers, home makers and home bakers, friends or neighbors, church members or those who do not go to church; and various business owners, workers, retailers and shoppers and others galore. Goodness, I have met so many precious people. And not-to-mention, those in my own community that were a part of my childhood, or who were friends of mine or someone else in my large family. As a matter of fact, many of my referrals come from family and friends. That to me, is how I can give back to my hometown in the best way possible since it gave so much to me and my family. So-so much!

When we reach the wintertime of life, keeping in mind how swiftly the seasons of life do pass, how precious are the family and friends that remain. So are the memories of those who have gone on and who still remain etched in our hearts and minds and souls forevermore! If you have as many family members that you know and love or friends as you do fingers you can count with, then you are blessed indeed. Unfortunately, I have come across way too many abandoned seniors. Too many. I try to imagine why in this world would anyone be alone after they arrived at the latter seasons of life. This sort of questioning remains to be the toughest part of what I do, yet I am still honored to serve even them- those who for whatever reason were left behind. I am not referring to those who are placed in facilities by loving and caring families. Oh, no! Not at all. We live in a time where many baby boomers still work or families cannot meet the demands of being a carer for a beloved aged one. Let alone, the cost of in-home care far extends the cost of a local facility at some point.

It’s this time of year, or that of the ending of a season whereas I reflect upon my own life. The end of summer in my own childhood in Middle Tennessee meant the end of fun summer camps, endless days of bike riding or horseback riding or going to the swimming pool. How I enjoyed going to Tennessee’s beautiful state parks like the one at Cumberland Mountains. Also, my family growing up had such grand adventures each summer traveling to the beach or across other states to see all the sites that we could see. Yes, Niagra Falls or that Natural Bridge in Va. for instance. Summer vacations were always a treat. Whenever I hear good oldies on the radio like “Summer Breeze, ” or “Layla” or “It’s Too Late,” or any Carole King song, I go right back to those last lazy days of summer in my earlier life. Today I wonder how all these years of seasons have passed by me. Mostly I am just so happy to still be here and even more so as I interview wise ones- those who have been on these paths much longer than I. Again, I am reminded of their wisdom Moses speaks of in that Psalm 90… “that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Lord. teach us to number our days. And be happy. Happiness is really a state of being- a journey, not so much a destiny.