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THINKPIECE

Hope I die before I get old?

JO GLEN reflects on youth, life, death and David Bowie

Last week, my six-year-old daughter and I found ourselves beside a market stall, grasping for the same bangle. And I wondered whether in previous generations we would have found ourselves so determinedly wanting the same thing, considering the 30-year age gap.

The young want to be older – and the old want to be younger. In fact all of us would probably settle for somewhere between 17 and 30. The young have probably always wanted to be older, but have the old always wanted so passionately to be younger? Cilla Black is out clubbing until 5 am – and, yes, good on her; Mick Jagger’s been touring and good on him too; Joan Collins advises her contemporaries never to date a man with white chest hair; David Bowie’s on form.

Sunday Times 31 August: “That [David Bowie] still has the contours, hair and teeth (albeit cosmetically reconstructed) of a man half his age only underlines the remarkable survival of his creative reputation". Bowie may look 30 but he’s not that far off 60. On his forthcoming album, Reality, he grapples with the reality that his face denies, singing ‘now my death is more than just a sad song’ and ‘Soon there’ll be nothing left of me.’ Last year’s Heathen album had as its theme (in Bowie’s words) ‘the nagging shadow of one’s finite status on the planet’.

But the surgical reconstruction won’t change his, or our finite status.

And will it be easier to get old and die looking half our age? I don’t know. Or is it easier to allow the physical ageing process to adjust our focus from the physical towards the intellectual and the spiritual? I don’t know.
Job12.12: “Is not wisdom found among the aged?” No, they’re all out clubbing. “Does not a long life bring understanding?” No, we are the generation that wants to do a U-turn around 30 – we want a short life twice.

Bowie said in a recent interview: "We create so many circles on this straight line we’re told we’re travelling.”
Yet it is Jesus who walked, not in circles, but along the straight and painful path into death and came out the other side. And when looking in the mirror at the lines on our faces, somehow we must be blinded by the light of resurrection.

What do you think? Click the Mail us button above

Jo Glen is an author, editor and Christian communicator

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		THINKPIECE Hope I die before I get old? JO GLEN reflects on youth, life, death and David Bowie Last week, my six-year-old daughter and I found ourselves beside a market stall, grasping for the same bangle. And I wondered whether in previous generations we would have found ourselves so determinedly wanting the same thing, considering the 30-year age gap. The young want to be older – and the old want to be younger. In fact all of us would probably settle for somewhere between 17 and 30. The young have probably always wanted to be older, but have the old always wanted so passionately to be younger? Cilla Black is out clubbing until 5 am – and, yes, good on her; Mick Jagger’s been touring and good on him too; Joan Collins advises her contemporaries never to date a man with white chest hair; David Bowie’s on form. Sunday Times 31 August: “That [David Bowie] still has the contours, hair and teeth (albeit cosmetically reconstructed) of a man half his age only underlines the remarkable survival of his creative reputation". Bowie may look 30 but he’s not that far off 60. On his forthcoming album, Reality, he grapples with the reality that his face denies, singing ‘now my death is more than just a sad song’ and ‘Soon there’ll be nothing left of me.’ Last year’s Heathen album had as its theme (in Bowie’s words) ‘the nagging shadow of one’s finite status on the planet’. But the surgical reconstruction won’t change his, or our finite status. And will it be easier to get old and die looking half our age? I don’t know. Or is it easier to allow the physical ageing process to adjust our focus from the physical towards the intellectual and the spiritual? I don’t know. Job12.12: “Is not wisdom found among the aged?” No, they’re all out clubbing. “Does not a long life bring understanding?” No, we are the generation that wants to do a U-turn around 30 – we want a short life twice. Bowie said in a recent interview: "We create so many circles on this straight line we’re told we’re travelling.” Yet it is Jesus who walked, not in circles, but along the straight and painful path into death and came out the other side. And when looking in the mirror at the lines on our faces, somehow we must be blinded by the light of resurrection. What do you think? Click the Mail us button above Jo Glen is an author, editor and Christian communicator © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.