More From Paul Grafton

A major change in this 83-year-old man’s life has occurred since I wrote my devotional for The Upper Room. I have moved from Florida to Western Pennsylvania. I had lived in Jacksonville, FL, since 1985, and it has been difficult to leave it. I really miss the good friend that I wrote about in my devotional. He represents both my neighborhood family and my church family, and it was hard to leave each of them. I miss delivering meals to people who are unable to leave their homes, as well as the other meal deliverers and the people that I delivered to. Another big loss is the Atlantic coast beach. I made it a point to walk on the beach at least once a week from 4:00 a.m. till sunrise. At that time of the morning, God’s creation seems huge, and I felt God’s presence more then than at any other time or place. I could sing “This Is the Day” as loud as I wanted because I met very few people at that time of day. That is also the place where I feel it natural to talk out loud to God. Many times, I got my 10,000 steps in before I left the beach.

Despite all that I left; I feel the move was well worthwhile. My sister, who is five years and one day older than I am, was placed in hospice care. She has been an inspiration for my entire life and remains an inspiration to this day. When I walk in, kiss her hello, pull up a chair, and take her hand, the big smile she gives me makes it all worthwhile. I also found some lovely, wooded areas to walk in! The steep grades were a bit difficult at first, but now I’m getting used to them.

Excuse my hair in the picture, but the breeze at the ocean is not always “gentle.”