I Am Rahab…Aging With Grace

By Janice Alston

I will soon see 68 years of living, and as my elders would add, “God willing if the creek don’t rise!” The truth is, everyday we live, we are aging; facts.

Let’s look at grace. What is grace? Grace is our unmerited favor according to the bible; grace is the undeserved gift of God. We didn’t earn it; however, we must choose to accept it. Grace is the reason there are many here to tell the story. I am one of many. Then there’s grace as elegance or refinement of movement. I have been fortunate to have been around women, sisters that assisted me to ease into these latter days. There was a time I was the youngest; now, I’m the eldest in many relationships, not all, but a few. Having reached this stage in my life is only by grace. It hasn’t been an easy road, yet it has been worthy. My eyes were opened to grace, the unmerited favor my God has given me. And because of his grace, I try to walk with grace, live with grace and speak with grace. My living, walking, speaking does not mean I am always refined; however, I am always aware when I am not graceful. These past three years pushed me into grace for many reasons.

As a young person –a teen– I was always the go-to, the get-it-done person. However, after I relocated to Texas on July 1st, 2018, there was no more running and doing.

I am a licensed and ordained minister, and my life before Texas was non-stop. Visiting the sick, attendance and assistance at funerals, visits to hospice, accompanying persons to cancer centers, and unofficial non-monetary transportation person to schools, doctors…wherever. As a minister of the gospel, it is a job that’s never finished. Fast forward to 2020, and I relocated 146 mi North in Texas. Two weeks after my move, in March of that year, life as we knew it was shutting down. Covid hit everywhere. There were no church services to find, no new friends to meet or old ones to visit. No one to run here and there with, or anywhere. I began doing things that I never took time for in the past, like watching entire movies and more. I found the senior me.

A few more gray hairs is fine; however, I was thicker in the midriff, and I felt some aches and pains that I used to ignore. There were some facial signs of the aging process as well. More than once, I asked myself, when did this happen? It caused me to think back to when I was Christmas shopping with my mother in New Jersey at the mall. She was a few years younger than I am now, and I remember thinking so selfishly, don’t you dare get old on me, mama. I was sad; she could no longer do the mall walks and other activities that required lots of walking and standing. It hurt; she was my mother, my roadie, and much more. Eight weeks ago, I had a total knee replacement that I should have had years ago.

I’m finally taking the time to do what Janice needs to be done. Cataracts are going next, but the grays will stay, and It Is Well With My Soul. Yes, I have finally embraced the aging process; I am and have been covered by grace! I may not be in the church building because I cannot get the vaccine due to allergies—however, this isolation due to Covid has increased my ministry differently. I have a text ministry, and let me tell you; it is a blessing for the many recipients and me. Miles do not matter. Yes, I’m aging with grace; this time of slowing down and somewhat being isolated has given me more than I can ask, thank and hope for. I am aging with grace because I am Rahab too.