Young love is exciting and fresh; we feel alive and cannot imagine ever losing this feeling. It can then come as quite the shock and disappointment as this honeymoon phase starts to fade. But, if we don’t lose heart, a mature love, which is settled and deep, begins to grow and surpasses the joys previously experienced. Our initial spark of excitement grows into a flame of enduring warmth.
This is true with love in general, and our sex life in particular. It’s tempting to believe great sex is for youthful bodies. And there is a glory here. But our gray hairs bring another glory to sex as well.
Sex during the first half of life is primarily a physical expression. While we might be giving our bodies to each other in love, we’re still discovering who we are, which simply takes time and maturity. As we move into the second half of life, we have more soul and depth of being to offer in addition to our bodies. And this gives sex a deeper and richer quality than previously possible.
Of course, with age, our bodies will no longer have the glory of youth. And this will change what the sex act looks like and how we approach it. But this loss of youth should not be a point of despair. When we commit to maturing and not merely growing older then we can look forward to the sexual satisfaction that comes with seasoned experience and personal depth.
To be sure, this is not to despise our youth, or fail to grieve when things change or life prevents us from enjoying this season to the full. But it is a reminder to live in hope knowing the best is still yet to come.
In the end, enjoy the spark of youthful love and sexual delights. And allow this to grow into a passionate flame of mature love that satisfies souls and not just bodies.
Photo by Alvin Mahmudov on Unsplash
