Aging with Agility ...by Sr. Julian

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When I think of the word ‘agility,’ I think about moving easily and quickly or being flexible in your body. I see older folks around me that seem to have this agility ability. As I near the end of my sexagenarian years, I feel less spry. Does this mean I lack any agility at all? No!

Perhaps I am just less nimble or dexterous. The other day I was sewing a button onto a blouse. I was literally astounded how difficult it was to thread the needle (as I looked for a needle with a larger eye). Had my fine motor coordination deteriorated that much? Or was it my vision or both? Must have been the lighting was how I reassured myself. After all, I hadn’t done any sewing for a long time!

Agility can also refer to quickness of mind. Alert and sharp with thinking or understanding. I would like to believe that I still have some agility in this area. My peers may doubt this as I do myself at times. “Can you tell me your name again?” “I just had the word but now I can’t recall it.” “I can’t think of the word, but you know what I mean.” Yes, I find myself using these phrases all too often. But does this mean I lack mental agility? I don’t think so. Though not as rapid or even as deft, I do believe there remains the possibility of mental agility as we grow older. I would call it the wisdom of age. It’s just slower. I say to myself, my mental agility is just slower because of all the years of learning that need to be sifted through to completely think about or understand something. Slowly agile? A reminder to balance speed and caution? I wonder if these two might be incongruous--or maybe they are synchronous! 

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Being a Benedictine monastic, I would be remiss if I did not address the concept of spiritual agility. I would like to think that I have some of this. I think agility in this sense means not rapidity, but rather stability. An ability to respond to changing realities in the life of the Church. A suppleness, an openness to search one’s spiritual life in order to strengthen practices and to make needed changes. An ability to remain strong in the vocation of one’s life, while turmoil swirls all around.

Becoming spiritually agile may take a lifetime. All are welcome and invited to make the journey.