Pop Pop Epistle # 203 – HB Miller and Some Reflections of an Older Man

Dear Miller,

A very happy birthday to you!! Oh to be 7 years old again. Believe it or not I can remember being 7 years old.  But it was indeed many many years ago.

So even as I am writing this I am in the middle of one of my kidney stone episodes. Surgery was a week ago but the last week, while not being terrible, has reminded me how much I value being in good health. It has also reminded me that I am not a young man anymore – even though I try to tell myself otherwise. So here are a few reflections of an older man – perhaps we can turn them into conversations one day.

• Never take good health for granted. Do whatever you can to get healthy and stay healthy.
• The choices you make as a young man will have very serious repercussions when you are an older man. Don’t just make good choices. Make great choices.
• Always have something fun and adventurous on the horizon that you are saving and planning and preparing for.
• Do that fun and adventurous thing above with other people. Shared memories are the very best kind of memories.
• Pursue joy! It is worth it. But be aware that most people look for joy in the wrong place and never find it.
• Find at least one really really good friend when you are young and cultivate that friendship for life.
• Find a vocation that will pay you for doing something that you love to do. 40 years is a long time to work at something that you do not enjoy.
• Learn a second language. Learn to play the piano. I wish I could do both. I can do neither!
• Always keep a book around. Read for the fun of it. Read to learn. Just read.
• Live simply. Money is nice but you don’t have to have a lot of money to enjoy life.
• Live generously. And you can do this whether you have a lot of money or not.
• Invest your life. Invest in eternal things – God’s Word and people. Invest in making memories.
• If at all possible, travel the world and applaud God’s creativity.
• Learn to ask great questions. Most people like great answers. I like great questions.
• Discover what it means to abide diligently in Jesus. And then never stop abiding.
• And finally… never ever get kidney stones. Seriously! I mean it! I’m not even kidding!

I’d love to chat with you about any or all of these. But don’t wait too long to ask me about them because after all… I am an older man now.

Never forget that you are very loved,

Pop Pop