The Beatles released the Sgt. Pepper album on May 26, 1967. I would have been 11 years old at the time. I remember the first time I heard all the melodies and swirling effects. It was ground-breaking in so many ways and I was swept up in Pepper-mania.
But, there was this odd little tune that occurred after George Harrison’s sitar-heavy “Within You and Without You.” It was as jolting a contrast as I think I’ve ever heard on an album. McCartney’s little ditty “When I’m Sixty-Four” was like a cabaret number you’d hear if you fired up an antique radio. Bouncy, clarinety, sing-songy. To my young and musically-impressionable ears, it was immediately memorable and singable. It was playful and wistful about someday in the distant future — “Will you still need me, Will you still feed me, When I’m sixty-four? “
At eleven, it was unimaginable that I would one day be sixty-four.
James Taylor once wrote that the secret of life is enjoying the passing of time. I think that’s true. Ecclesiastes says that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die. In between those two dates (birth/death) we attempt to redeem the time and use our days wisely.
As for me, it’s been a pretty good life. As Elder Ward used to quip, “It hasn’t been bad.” Sure, sure … there have been all the usual ups-and-downs that go with living on this planet, but I’ve never gone hungry, never lived on the street, and I’ve always had at least one car in the driveway. King David said that he had never seen the righteous forsaken, nor the seed begging bread. I’m a living witness to that.
At a men’s meeting recently, after my concussion, Alex commented, “God keeps trying to kill Jim.” But, no. It’s quite the opposite. Life keeps trying to do me in. God keeps me alive. I guess my work here isn’t quite finished. I’m ready to go home whenever He’s pleased to have me.
Meanwhile, GCA is thriving. The little church in Smyrna continues to reach an “online congregation” of listeners and supporters. I’m dependent on people giving to our ministry in order to eat. But, we’re coming up on our 19th year and I’m still here and still eating.
So, I guess Macca had it right back in ’67. Will you still need me? I hope so. Will you still feed me? God, through His people, hasn’t failed me yet. I don’t figure He’s going to change His mind, now.
And, at last, I’m sixty-four.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a song to walk around the house singing.
