Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-03-27
ON GROWING OLD.
NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW TO
DO WITH MUCH GRACE.


Roanoke News.
Growing old is not pleasant
experience, we are obliged to
confess. II COMES like a shock
to us when we first wake up to
the reality. We Wonder>hoW long
it may have Ibeen since others
have noticed and commented up
on it.
When some friend invited us
to "a grandlnotler,s tea" with
the apology, Il knew you had
grandchildren, we are aroused
to the consciousness that perhaps
we do not see ourselves as others
see us. We are constrained to
take cur bearings by comparing
and contrasting our feelings and
our experiences with our young
CT friends.
We rebel inward1y, ven though
we should "die and make no
sign" when we see ourselves set
aside and younger ones taking
our places. We know there is a
great deal said about burrows Oh
beautiful brows; Wrinkled hands
that have done lite's duties we'll
and all that. 1t may sound very
well, and all that. Itmay sound
we'll on paper, but the actual facts
are cold and hard ones, for
We know that something sweet
Followed youth with flying feet,
And it never comes again.
We are told that frey hairs
and wrinkles count for nothing
SO long as the heart IS young and
as long as we keep III touch and
sympathy with youth and life's
| interests and occurrences. But
few and far between are the vOy-
ayers on the ocean of time who
have sailed through unruffled
seas. For the many the pillows
have been high, the waters deep
and the currents swift, and even
if after storm comes calm the
market is weather beaten and
the journey has left its impress.
When we find Our minds con-
tinually running backward i'll
stead Of forward i'll anticipation
Of pleasures that never come we
may safely conclude that we
have reached the hilltop and
hencefortll the journey lies down
the hill.
One Of the hardest things in
life is to submit to the inevitable
and to learn to let leo. Of it is
through a discipline that is heart
breaking that We do learn how.
All Our lives we have seen the
children Of others grow up and
90 out into the world and have
thought Of it as orc Of those "in>
eyitables, " but when our own
nestlings spread their wings and
take fight from the parent nest
-ah, then we know We never
had realized that some day ours
would 10 longer need Or want
our help, that they were stronger
even than us.
We can only cover our long
ing al Our loneliness with a
cheerful exterior and feel hope
full that they may still be able to
sing though we may never hear
them.
Then, too, we see our cherish
ed decisions one after another
vanish into the air. Once be be-
1ieved they were facts but as they
no longer comfort CT anuse lis,
we are constrained to believe
that they were only fancies or
creatures Of cur imagination.
What was truth yesterday is
falsehooi tomorrow. AS we move
onward every days experience
and revelation sllatter our faith
III something or some one. All
along the way there are mile
stones that mark betrayaIs and
disappointments, and ether
stones, too, underneath which
are dear friends and companions,
who i'll the beginning started
with us cheeriully and confident
ly. They have wearied with
CHE march of life aad laid them
down to rest.
Bat oar eNpcrie.l~c Is Only The
common one. We had cur /, aes
and OH lIai: ald II t.. :. + So