With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come.

The Merchant of Venice

Who wants to talk about wrinkles, right? They are considered a sign of age and something to be avoided or minimized by any means necessary. And yet, I have this quote in two places in my office. One is on a candle, from a centerpiece I made for our wedding, that I keep on a bookshelf. The other is on a cup now serving as a pen holder on my desk. I like quotes, especially those that are well-written and insightful, and this quote from the Merchant of Venice is one of them. What does this one tell of?

Time passes, old age will come. But what will the journey be? Will it be spent pining the days away, working in a place that tears you down, or keeping yourself busy? Will it be in worrying over things out of our control, adding to those lines on your face? What if instead those lines came from laughter, joy, happiness? There are different ways of looking at a thing. Here, we are looking at wrinkles on the face. We call them many things, but most often, I hear ‘crow’s feet’ and ‘laugh lines.’ Which will yours be?

Let us pass the days not in frivolity or anxiety, but with “mirth and laughter.” Let’s look forward to growing older, not focusing on how worn down and wrinkled we’ll be, but at the time we have to look forward to and the memories we will possess and share. Take on those years, seize the day, and embrace the physical changes with joy and laughter! Maybe keep this quote somewhere you can see to pick you up when the days grow long and difficult. Let’s bring on these laugh lines and find joy in the now and the future to come!

Blessings to you and yours,

~Madelyn Rose Craig

For he will not much remember the days of his life becuase God keeps him occupied with the joy in his heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:20