“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16
We choose to define the stages of our life in many unique ways. One of the most widely used ways we define our life is by our age. We use age to define places we should go, things we should accomplish, and when we should stop doing certain things. Often, we use phrases like “They are too old to do that, “or “They are too young to do that.” In our culture, children can watch movies cheaper than adults. Senior adults receive discounts at the restaurants. These are determined by age. Our culture states you are an adult at 18, and ready to retire at 65. Our age defines our lives, in so many ways.
At times, age rightfully defines parts of our lives, but age is not the only factor that determines who we are and what we are able to accomplish. Carl Allamby is a wonderful example of this. At a young age, growing up in Cleveland, Carl and his family struggled. He grew up in a family that often faced economic hardships. Carl dreamed of getting a great education and perhaps becoming a doctor. Sadly, Allamby would not be able to leave high school for college. He went to work to help care for his family. He would become an auto mechanic and work in that field for many years. He was proud to help his family.
Carl never gave up on his dreams of education and becoming a doctor. After 25 years of working in a shop, Carl enrolled in pre-med classes a Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. With his free time, he volunteered at the local hospital. It was in 2015 that he was admitted to medical School at North East Ohio. With the support of the family that he had supported for so long, he would become, at age 51, Dr. Carl Allamby. He now is an emergency room attending physician.
There are ways that age defines us. I cannot run and jump the same way that I did when I was 18. However, age does not have to define every area of our life. We do not have to set aside our goals just because we reach a certain age. We do not have to give up on our dreams. We only get old when we stop learning, stop trying, stop experiencing new things. We are called to live a life of learning, so that we may live a full and complete life.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
