It's Time

No wine before it's time - it's time! No fruit before it's ripe - it's eatable! No decision before deliberation - it's regrettable that we've lost the need for timely waiting.

One of the things that I loved about visiting my grandparents was their slow, deliberate and considerate lifestyle. I could always count on them to take the time to engage me. Whether asking about my life or showing me something of theirs, I knew that they knew a lot. But even more than the confidence I had that they knew the right things to say and do, I felt like I was being treated to something full and sweet and rare.

Yes, something like good wine or ripened fruit; something not only to appreciate but to savor as well.

I read recently that an avocado can be ripened by putting it into a brown paper bag with ripe bananas. A chemical is emitted from the ripened fruit that triggers heightened activity in the unripe item. Kind of like my old visits to grandparents or my new visits to Quaker Meeting. The experience of being in the presence of seasoned, or weighty, members of family and Friends is enough to settle my nerves and ease my worries.

The same thing is known about horses. When a young wild one is exposed to an older settled one, the young horse settles down, becoming even docile. The reason we see race horses being led to the starting gate by older thoroughbreds.

So, when we hear of actual evidence that old people give off a particular odor, know that it's the scent of maturity. Know too that time spent in the company of older people can create a chemical reaction that can bring out the best in fruits and nuts like you and me. Ripe for some wise waiting - it's time that's ageless.