Father Time Remains Undeafeated

This past week I couldn’t help but notice all the publicity Father Time was receiving.

“Father Time can’t slow Bernard Langer down”, a local newspaper reported after the 58 years old Langer entered the final round of The Masters one shot out of the lead.

“Barry Manilow, 72, cheats Father Time with convincing, energetic show,” was the headline after Manilow’s Peoria, IL performance.

“Rooting Against Father Time,” an Ohio sportswriter penned after watching the 66 year old Tom Watson walk off the 18th green at Augusta for the final time.

On the very night of this writing, Kobe Bryant will put on his Los Angles Lakers jersey for the last time. It seems like yesterday Kobe was baby-faced 18 year high school kid suiting up to play against men. He went scoreless that first game, but after 20 years, 33,000 points, 18 All Star games, 5 NBA Championships and 2 Olympic Gold Medals, it’s over. He is spent. His body, broken, no longer able to stand up to the rigor of the NBA season.

This idea Father Time can’t slow us down, we can cheat Father Time, we can beat Father Time, we can trick Father Time, it’s a lie. In the game of life, the absolute best have gone up against him, but he has always come out victorious. He is “Whatever” and 0. He is undefeated. He is the undisputed Champion. No one beats Father Time.

Now, we can push back Father Time’s effect on us some. We can inject some stuff and suck out other stuff. We can plug up or unclog and reduce or blow up. Lowered stuff can be lifted and lifted stuff can be lowered. We can Laser, Lipo, and Botox, and Rhino. We can get help for our “BP” and “ED” and even when we can’t go “Pee Pee.” We can fight Father Time with everything in us, but in the end, he will win.

So, live each day as if it could be your last. Don’t make people try to figure out if you love them; tell them. If there is something you have been putting off for some reason; do it. That bucket list? Get to checking things off. Those old grudges and foolish things you said? Apologize and make it right. Father time doesn’t give advanced notification.

One more thing. That picture at the beginning of this blog? As I was writing my final words and admiring what I had created, suddenly my chair broke in half and I went spilling onto the tile floor, ending flat on my back, as my head hit the concrete and my feet kicked the keyboard drawer out of its track . As I lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, I swear I could hear Father Time laughing!