The Shortness of Our Life

As much as we treasure a long life, each birthday, which seems to come faster and faster each year, is a reminder of the shortness of our life. As a teen turns 18 and crosses the line to legal adulthood, he or she imagines that there is a long road ahead. Those of us approaching 70 look back to that 18th birthday, and wonder where the years have gone. "Make us know the shortness of our life/that we may gain wisdom of heart." (Ps 90:12). Therein lies the secret: acknowledging life's brevity and gaining wisdom from each moment, each experience, each person with which we are favored. Above all, God has chosen to breathe his Spirit into these short lives, to make them holy, effective, fruitful. Whether they are long or short, they are made sacred by the presence of that Spirit. With each breath we can offer a word of gratitude for the gift of life, and pray that we use our alloted time wisely. It might help to bring home this point if we stop what we are doing right now, become conscious of our breathing for the next minute, see how short our breaths are, and say thank you after each one. Wisdom, another image of he Holy Spirit, will awaken our hearts to the brevity and the goodness of this life.
Bro. Rene