Seniorville

Now for seven decades while traveling life's highway, I recall often seeing mile markers and the occasional sign indicating that the town of Seniorville was just down the road. Its one exit prior to a town named, Departure.

I've never been to Departure, though at times nearby, with several temporary visits to Seniorville.

You see, we would occasionally visit among her citizens, in fact, monthly in my early years.

It seemed the right thing to do!

So, a small group of the saints from our home church in the town of Normalacy would all pile in our cars and drive over to Seniorville.

There was a nursing facility, by some referred to as a Rest Home, built for those who could no longer manage life alone. Some were bedfast, others in wheelchairs.

We would sing a few old gospeI hymns, then I would share a brief message of hope.

Before departure, some of us would visit the bedside of those most infirm, then retreat back up the road to Normalacy. Some from the church, those a little more successful, lived in a nearby bedroom community called, Abundanceville.

We often discussed how we would handle life if ever forced to live in Seniorville, but we were young and never dreamed of moving from Normalacy....unless perhaps our dreams came true. Dreams of owning a new home, even raising kids in Abundanceville some day.

We worked hard and as well, learned to give generously. So as blessings came our way, we eventually built that home and moved out to Abundanceville.

Oddly enough, and by some unexpected and quite mystical means, as each year passed, it seemed as if our new town moved closer to Seniorville!

In fact, the two towns have now merged!

We still maintain our beautiful home, but those things, once most valued, seem far less meaningful than the memories of friends and loved ones, many who have moved on down the road to Departure.

Somedays we have considered that, much like we used to ponder the woes of the poor souls in Seniorville.

The lessons learned decades ago from those visits to the facility, now have great value as we prepare for our own move down the highway!