I used to live in perpetual fear of losing things I had, or never having the things I hoped to acquire in my life.

What if I lose my hair?

What if I never get the big house I want?

What if I become overweight,
out of shape, or unattractive?

What if I lose my job?

What if I am disabled and
cannot play ball with my child?

What if I get old and frail and
have nothing to offer those around me?

But life has lessons for those who listen, and now I know:

If I lose my hair, I will be the best darn bald guy I can be, and I will be grateful that my head can still stimulate ideas, if not follicles.

A house does not make a person happy. The unhappy heart will not find contentment in a bigger house, while the heart that is merry will make any home a happy one.

If I spend more time developing my emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions, rather than over-focusing on my physical self, I will be more beautiful with each passing day.

If I cannot work for wages, I will work for the Lord -- and His benefits package is unmatched.

If I am physically unable to teach my child to throw a curve ball, I will have more time to teach him to handle the curves thrown by life, and this shall serve him better.

And if aging robs me of my strength, mental alertness, and physical stamina, I will offer those around me the strength of my convictions, the wisdom of experience seasoned with adversity, and the spiritual stamina of a soul that has been carefully shaped by the hard edges of a long life.

No matter what losses or broken dreams may lie in my destiny, whatever burdens shall be my fate, I will meet each challenge with dignity and resolve. For God has given me many gifts and talents, and for each one that I may lose, I will find ten more that I never would have cultivated were the course of my life to always run smoothly.

And so, when I can no longer dance, I will sing joyfully; when I haven't the strength to sing, I will whistle with contentment; when my breath is shallow and weak, I will listen intently and shout love with my heart; and when the bright light approaches, I will pray silently until I cannot pray; alas, it will then be time for me to go to the Lord.

And what then should I fear?

~By David L. Weatherford~
Visit David's website for more of his writings at:
www.davidlweatherford.com