By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Philosophers expound upon the nature of human beings and the role of each one
of us in society. When we ponder this, it opens up the vastness of the universe and the mystery of it all. Are we humans simply puppets on a string being manipulated by a giant puppeteer? Or do we have free will to take charge of our own fate? Those who have had more time to contemplate have come up with numerous beliefs about it all. These beliefs,however, have become institutionalized with a hierarchy of experts at the helm of each institution.

I admit that it is scary to think that we must someday leave the planet and disappear into nothingness. Therefore religious beliefs often include the solace of the hereafter where we can be free of the earthly body and live in everlasting peace and joy.Since every human faces the same ultimate fate, it puts great pressure on each person to live well and accomplish as much as humanly possible while in one’s earthly body. There is a constant turmoil on earth with some rising to the top of the heap while others struggle for their day to day existence. No human can think of all this without a sense of frustration. In ages past the church was the place to go to seek refuge from the terror of the unknown and to seek forgiveness so that the next life could be safe from hellfire and brimstone.

Seattle is known as the most un-churched place in this country. And yet it is also a place of exciting entrepreneurship. It was developed by pioneers from the east coast who wanted to explore new territory. Each explorer and settler expressed their need to answer the question, “What is the human role in society?” Since city life has institutionalized much of what the extended family used to provide, the role of elders in our society is not as clear. So I have decided to model what elders need to be doing as they age. It is becoming clearer to me that my role is that of mentor. Increasingly, younger people say to me, “You are my role model. I want to be like you when I get older.” So at last I know my place. It is not to retreat from the mainstream. It is to remain totally engaged with younger people who need my wisdom and expertise. To stay tied only to old friends results in an address book with a lot of crossed out names.

Just this week, in planning for my show Tea with Georgie, I realized that I had steadily been reaching out to all ages. When people show surprise that this oldie can still remain in the center of life and stay involved I say, “Life isn’t over until it is over.” There is no age at which life cannot be lived fully. Reach out and be there for neighbors and friends. Delight in experiencing life in new ways. Delight in the human interactions that come your way. Try to look up from your gadgets and stay connected with real people.

Hopefully you will not be one of those who regret not having stayed connected with friends. I look through my address file every so often and call everyone that I have filed there to see how they are doing. I don’t ever want to regret that I didn’t stay in touch. I hope that I never let the whirlwind of my full life exclude communication with those I care about. I would rather nurture my friendships than to watch the news and worry about people around the world who are not near enough to take into my world of concern. So if you consider yourself to be my friend, stay in touch. Time is fleeting. Nurture your family and friends for they are most important.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer who can be reached at 209-935-8663 or
gnkunkel@comcast.net.