Approximately four hundred years ago, a guy we now know as William Shakespeare wrote that: "all the world’s a stage," meaning that we are all actors, with our various entrances and exits. Some would say "posers" and in my experience this phrase is often quoted to support the idea that we live our lives "on stage," that is, self-consciously. No doubt this is true. But the great bard was heading somewhere else with that phrase. He was using the play as a metaphor for life. He goes on to talk about seven “acts” of our play. The ages of man: infant, school-boy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon, and second childhood. Per the latter he uses the comic and tragic reality of the march of time across our frail bodies until we find ourselves: “sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

Sans everything. Not a nice thought. I assume this refers to that time when we travel to that “undiscovered country.” But, as he alludes, before we make that trip, most of us will find ourselves struggling with the breakdown of our bodies in that second
childhood. Like many difficult things in life, we are all tempted to deny this. We don’t like to think that if we live long enough we’ll all reach this stage, this last act. But it’s a fact. And we are much better off if we face facts and deal honestly and forthrightly with them. Sticking one’s head in the sand of stubbornness does not a
fountain of youth make.

This is why I want to honor Florine Cox. Florine, at 88, has decided that it is time to stop driving. This wasn’t forced on her and likely it’s earlier than necessary, but she feels right about it. This will mean a loss of her independence. This will mean a major change, in a life that has been (like all lives) filled with change. This will mean that we won’t see as much of her at KBC. None of these are desired results. This is why I want to honor and pay respect to both the difficulty of this decision and the wisdom of it.

And of course this is about deeper issues than driving a car. It’s about knowing how to tell time. It’s about knowing which act of the play you’re in. It’s about the spiritual gift of discernment where in the comforting grace of God’s love you are able to look at yourself squarely, honestly, forthrightly, and make good
decisions – even if they hurt. Especially if they hurt.

No one will miss seeing Florine regularly more than me. Her notes of encouragement always came at the right moment. I will miss her positive words about worship, her encouraging attitude, her sweet smile. She seems to embody grace and love.

“And one man in his time plays many parts,” says W.S. True. But in Florine’s case she’s played the same encouraging, loving, hopeful, Christ centered role for a long time. I’ve no doubt that God will continue to lead her in this new slightly altered role. And may God inspire us all, to follow in her graceful example as he leads us through the stages of our lives.

Scott

P.S. Both quotations from “As You Like It” Act II.