Rust out or Wear Out?

In 1959 my parents moved here to Willow Grove from the city. It was a country paradise then although it eventually became a regular, run of the mill suburb. The house was pretty much of a shell. The yard was completely as is - a sea of mud with a storm ditch running through it.

Dad and Mom dragged my brother and I into the process of making a home out of the mess. Finished the inside, built my brother a beautiful bedroom in the basement with bathroom, and completely landscaped the yard, even building a rustic bridge over the ditch which we then rechristened The Creek. Dad got baby pines from our summer home in the mountains, mother organized flower gardens, and the steep hill of dirt was painstakingly whittled down to a pleasant grassy bank.

My Dad was 55 then. And he kept renovating and improving for the next 30 years. It wasn't until he was almost 85 that Dad began to slow down.

Heck, he didn't retire from his optical business until 79! And then, he and mother took on a pastoral role in several area nursing homes. At 84 mother was teaching her beloved women's Bible study group in their home and Dad, at 93 was her support with elaborate charts, illustrations and drawings, not to mention the perfectly presented refreshments.

And every time someone would warn him that he needed to take it easier and slow down, enjoy his retirement he would say - "I'd rather wear out than rust out." And he did. On Bible study night all was as usual - the support materials, the food, the sweet banter with "the girls" - by 10 pm he had a cardiac aneurysm and dropped dead.

David's mother exemplified the same principle. With terminal breast and colon cancer, barely able to stand, undergoing cruel chemotherapy, we found her outside raking leaves. David was alarmed and begged her to stop. He couldn't understand why his father allowed this. But she wanted to be doing all the normal things one does on a Fall day before it was all over.

Wear out before you rust out.

However, and here's the big but... notice I didn't say big butt although it might be true --

Got to be smart about wearing out. It's hot here in Willow Grove. Going to be 100 this week. Sure, we could have gone to the parade yesterday and sat in the heat. We could be outside today doing yard work. And part of me says, "You lazy thing, watching old movies all day and eating ham sandwiches and corn puffs. But the smarter half says, "Live to work another day." The world will go on without my help on this particular day.

Enjoy the movie, make some microwave brownies, walk around the mall, stay in the AC. As Scarlet says, "Tomorrow is another day!"