The Downhill Slide (Updated from 1/11/2015)

OMG!

"We seem to have reached the age where life stops giving us things and starts taking them away."

-- Dean Stanforth, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

It is an unfortunate fact of life.  It comes after taxes begin and before the death of old age.  Everything we have worked for seemingly begins to slip inexorably through our arthritic fingers.  We become tired as the body begins to give up the health of youth; our lifestyle slims down to equilibrium with taxes and our paltry retirement.  Friends and family begin the all-too-short anti-race to the grave, making us wonder, as we vie for "last man standing" status if we wouldn't be better off losing this last competition.

This stage of our life is aptly referred to, by some, as the "downhill slide."  Life is like a rollercoaster with all the ups and downs.  In the beginning is a slow climb that helps us to prepare for what we think we see coming.  We find ourselves gripping the safety bar as we approach the top of a rise, and then we throw our arms in the air and scream as we either enjoy the exhilarating rush of the race to the bottom... or we wet our pants.  The climax of any rollercoaster, worth its salt, is the final killer hill and the exciting "downhill slide" to the finish of the ride.

Getting to the "downhill slide" is the part of the ride that seems to take forever due to the anticipation, that, and the final hill is the tallest to ascend.  Our bodies and emotions have already dealt with the entire ride so far, and the "downhill slide" is the final test of our endurance; it will be fast, and defining of who we have become... during the ride.  Other folks along for the ride have already succumbed to the stress of too much "fun," or are trying to tough it out with you.  Now is the time, for those who are left,  to belly up to the bar with our game faces and to meet whatever is in store for us, head-on. Or, we can fold halfway down the slide, cry, crap our already wet britches, and then puke.  Not a pretty way to go out of the amusement park of life, or a real park, for that matter.

If I can did not sidestep my father's health issues.  He died in 2019. and Mom died in 2023.  I hope to see my own 89-year mark without enduring the same battles they endured and won.  This goal means I expect to have at least 19 more years on this rollercoaster to accomplish...what?  Well, my ups and downs have become less steep and more humorous than stressful.  This fairly level ride allows me a bit more freedom to enjoy the view of the park and drink bourbon without fear of spilling it all over those sitting around me. They may already be wet enough without bourbon added to all the other vile smells their own bodies have evacuated upon their persons.

At this point, my life is still good.  Oh, hell... life is great!  But, it doesn't change the fact that things are being taken away; too many childhood friends, family, and military comrades have died.  With God's grace, I have managed to sidestep the Grim Reaper several times, considering I put myself at risk through stupidity.  I always feel humbled by the memories. The fact that I wake up every morning is reason enough to declare, "Life is great!" Any day on this side of the dirt is great.

"My dream is to live a good life and be loving, be close to God and be a good human being and bring peace to people."

-- Ziggy Marley

We must not dwell on death, or on the limited time many of us have left in this life.  It is incumbent on us, those of us who have made it this far, to stand as mentors and role models for those struggling around us.  We must pass on that which we have learned, or our lives will have truly meant nothing.  Whether we know it or admit it, we live life to mentor those who come after us.  We live life to pass on what we learn to others who have not experienced what we have.  We live life to ensure the survival of our species on the surface of this world.  The earth will abide our passing, without notice, and will erase evidence of our existence from her surface with the corrosive properties only time can provide.  We must find a way to ensure the earth does not celebrate this event.  We must find a way to survive.

"The beautiful thing about when you go through a slide is that you learn from it.  Not just saying you learn from it, but applying the things you have learned."

-- Kevin Garnett

We must start this process within ourselves.  If we do not love ourselves, how can we love others?  If we cannot help ourselves, how can we help others?  If we do not understand ourselves, how do we expect to understand others?  We are not responsible for everyone else's happiness; they must find their own way.  But it is so much easier to find that way when there is a shining light that shows the path.

"We have a good life when we manage to live with both satisfied and unsatisfied needs, when we are not obsessed by what is beyond our reach."

-- Kjell Magne Bondevik

On the "downhill slide," life begins to move faster before it flatlines.  We have little time to make the most out of what we have left.

Live life to the fullest, enjoy every second, share all you have learned, and wake up each and every morning with praise for God, for life, and for the gift of it.

"Thank you, God, for this good life, and forgive us if we do not love it enough."

-- Garrison Keillor

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained in 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance, he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com