Rewarding Years - Sulo Moorthy

Next month, by the time I sit down with my family to enjoy the Thanksgiving supper in San Diego, California, I would have celebrated my 65th birthday, and have a long list of blessings to thank for. At my age, simple things do matter and small gestures get appreciated. Having the mind, marriage, joints and teeth intact are no longer taken for granted.

It’s God’s mercy that I keep going, and even getting busier these years in spite of doctor's' visits, medications and growing old aches. It may sound strange, but I consider my 50s and 60s to be my best years.

It's in my fifties I got into writing and was blessed to see my byline in a few magazines, newspapers and anthologies.

As the wise King said, " To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." (Proverbs 3:1)

In writing too, I realize there's a time to write and a time to take a break.

When I moved to California, I didn't have much time to write, polish and send for publication. I was working part-time at my husband's workplace. But I kept ordering books on amazon.com and reading them whenever I could. Writing Life, Writers on Writing, The Making of a Christian Bestseller, How to be your own Best Editor, An Introduction to Christian Writing, The Little Handbook to Perfecting the Art of Christian Writing were some of the books I bought and stocked in my bookshelf.

Never did I expect to start a writer's group at the time I bought those books. But when I started one, An introduction to Christian Writing became handy as a reference tool.

It’s also God’s grace that I found Grace Point Church as my home church, where I'm not only nourished spiritually, but also has gained many friends, most of whom are half my age. Just yesterday, one of the gals sent me an ultrasound picture of the baby in her womb. I’d like to share what she wrote to me, when I responded on seeing what she sent.

“Sulo, your friendship has meant so much to me. Thank you for your ongoin and prayers. Love you to death. Hugs, Tina.

Her words brightened my day and moistened my eyes. Senior years can be rewarding because of such love and friendship. With my part-time job as well as leading a Bible study and a Writers' group, my days seem to be full and blissful than ever before. Old age need not be dreaded. Instead it needs to be embraced, openhanded.

As I look back on the chapters of my life, I’m amazed how the Lord has orchestrated His will into my story and carried it so far. It did make me to whine and whimper when He chose to reject my petty proposals, or cut and paste some of my favorite ideas to suit His timing and purpose. The story does have its anecdotes of exodus and lamentations for anyone to tear up. But it also carries songs of love and acts of obedience for cheering up. I’ve no idea how many more chapters God has in mind to finish my story. All I hope is that it would finish well and the Author gets all the glory.

“They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing.” Psalm 92:14