Thresholds

“The familiar life horizon has been outgrown: the old concepts, 

ideals and emotional patterns no longer fit; 

the time for the passing of a threshold is at hand.”

(Joseph Campbell, The Hero With a Thousand Faces.)

What are those thresholds in life? Certainly coming of age, high school or college graduation, marriage, the birth of a child, a fulfilling job, purchasing a home, and so on… But what about later in life? 

As I was reminded during my pastoral training, we are only temporarily abled; that is, life is a process of dis-ability from getting our first pair of eye glasses to being in assisted living.

Today, I was reminded of another passage. In my mind’s eye, I see myself as just as abled as I was in my 30s and 40s. Of course, that is not true. I am not.

I was on Highway F just south of Mazomanie putting some miles on my bike this morning when I heard a familiar noise – the whirring tires of a large peloton of over 20 riders approaching me and quickly leaving me behind. It was an exhilarating feeling instantly taking me back to my racing days. And as they all passed me, a young rider gently patted me on the shoulder, “Have a good ride, sir!”

I can think of two other earlier elder passage times. In my very early 50s, I gently reminded a young cashier at a restaurant who had just given me a discount that police officers in Madison are able to pay for their own meals when she said, “No, sir, not because you are a police officer it’s because today is senior discount day.”

As I entered my 60s, I noticed that young and attractive women were opening doors for me instead of the other way around. Another passage.

When we are young, strong, and abled, we don’t think of ever aging. But the reality of life, the journey on which we find ourselves, is filled with great teaching moments if we are open to them. No, I couldn’t hang with that peloton of youngsters, but I was here. I was able to continue participating in an activity in which I began over 40 years ago. The blessing isn’t about what we cannot do anymore. No, the blessings is that which we still can do be it cycling, hiking, or just sitting on our back porch enjoying the blessedness of this day.

On Saturday, a group of friends will join me in another passage. A celebration of my 75th year. They will join me in a 75 mile ride. I used to race that distance. Now I am simply happy to be able to ride it. Life is good.

Or as John O’Driscoll noted in Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom:

“It’s good to be here. The mystery never leaves you alone.”

It is a good life.

And, truly, the mystery never does leave us alone.