Smarter by the Day
My lovely Bride and I were staying at our son and daughter-in-law’s home recently. One morning after a brisk walk and a long shower, I happened to spot a bottle of aftershave on the bathroom counter. Since I was using my grandson’s bathroom, I surmised it must belong to the strapping, young eighteen-year-old.
Normally, I wouldn’t be drawn to something
like that. After all, aftershave lotions, sprays, and creams are a dime a
dozen. This one, however, was called “Very Sexy.” Having turned sixty-nine, my
“very sexy” days are behind me (if I ever actually had any). I decided it would
be a good idea to steal a spray or two.
As it turned out, there was nothing particularly special or sexy about it. It was rather run-of-the-mill. It smelled very nice, of course, but I didn’t feel especially sexy after its application. I hope my wife appreciated it.
Totally Unrelated
In a totally unrelated story, I read that scientists have learned how to grow tiny brains in Petri dishes. This is, I’m sure, a startling new advancement. More importantly, it will probably lead to discoveries that may save lives down the road. As for now, it’s just another pea brain vegetating on a plate. It was an interesting article, but knowing this has not made me any smarter (Scientists Grow Tiny Brain). I’m guessing it hasn’t made the scientists any smarter either.
So, what do these two stories have in common? Well, it’s simply this. The aftershave didn’t make me any sexier, and the tiny brain didn’t make me any smarter. And yet, we humans tend to continue in the quest to become sexier and smarter as well as stronger, richer, and more popular. All these quests are, on the surface, worthwhile endeavors.
Unfortunately, our end will be the same even if we
attain some of this stuff. Jesus once asked why we worry about such things. He
added that none of them will add a single hour to our lives.
Quality of Life
I know, I know… The argument is that our quality of
life will somehow become better. I get it. But I’m thinking that our quest
becomes our obsession and we miss out on the more important substance of life.
I think I’d like being a bit sexier or a tad smarter. Still, I’m pretty sure
it’s more important to live a life worthy of the calling.
When one reaches the age to which I have attained, it becomes starkly apparent that we tend to waste a lot of time pursuing the impossible dream. Dreams are great, but it might behoove us to adopt other thoughts. Maybe we should dream about spending more time helping the needy in this world. Once we’ve dreamed such lofty aspirations, we may want to actually spend time achieving those goals.
I’m just as guilty as the next guy when it comes to fending only for myself. I’m not merely getting on your case. These words are for me as well as you. God help us.
[Dave Zuchelli is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and currently resides in Aldie, VA.]
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