As long as you have reasonable health, your age is determined by your attitude, not by a date written on your birth certificate. Some people are old at 50 while there are 70 year old teenagers out there enjoying life.
While much of western civilisation is obsessed with youth and beauty and views getting older as something to be depressed about, I would disagree.
In the 70s, Mick Jagger said “I’d rather be dead than singing “Satisfaction” when I’m 45”. I guess he’s changed his mind as he belts it out at 69.
When we’re “older,” there’s a great deal to be thankful for. Just think about it for a minute.
- Would you want to trade friends you’ve known for 30 – 40 years and shared good and bad times with, for someone you met last year?
- Would you easily swap the wisdom you’ve gained as a result of a lifetime of experiences for the immaturity that comes with youth?
- Would you like to be signing up for a mortgage of $300,000 or more knowing that you and your partner will be working for the bank for a long, long time.
Now’s the time when you can make up your own mind about what’s important and what’s not.
You can do the things you want to do, not the things you have to do.
You’ve had the time to learn about and hopefully like, the person in your skin.
You can look back on the successes and the heart breaking times knowing that these experiences are what gives you strength, character, wisdom and compassion.
You can wear the grey hair and wrinkles with pride because you’ve done a lot of living to produce them.
Think for a minute about all the young people you have known, or known of, who have died before their hair turned grey. We’re all lucky to be here, so make the most of every day.
I suggest you enjoy your age, but don’t consider yourself “old,” “past it,” “over the hill” or any of the other patronising descriptions that society likes to label us with.
Paul McKeon