PRAYER FOR THE AGED:
“Lord thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older, and will some day be old,
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every occasion.
Release me from graving to try to straighten out everybody’s affairs.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details- give me wings to get to the point.
I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of others’ pains. Help me to endure them with patience.
But seal my lips on my own aches and pains – they are increasing and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it possible that I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet: I do not want to be a saint – Some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy, with my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all – But thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.”