The Joy of growing old

You are so right zandi! I Am going to be 66 on the 25th of this month and I do look at people my age and younger with a new approach and feeling...all the years I have lived, every experience I had have made me kinder to others and I seem to enjoy all the little things that where not so important in my younger years. Some people look at growing old with a dread feeling...to me though is just like slipping into an old shoe comfortable and it fit very well...and is not a 3 star banquet is more like a 5 star banquet...I have tried every thing and now I can chose what I like best!

I know exactly what you mean. It has been a long time since I celebrated my 50th birthday and it is really surprising how fast time goes by! Since the age of around 25 or so, I have been a Zen practitioner and I have practiced Zen meditation every day. This tends to expand consciousness and awareness and I have become very aware of the ageing process and how the mind, body and spirit seems to change and evolve. The body tends to get a little more achey, but it doesn't mean that one has to lose vitality as the aches and pains soon go. The mind seems to tune in more to a spiritual existence. I think it does this naturally, but if one practising meditation and mindfulness, the process becomes more noticeable and profound. It is mostly good, but one should aim to exist in the present moment as there is no point in looking back or forward because they don't really exist, only in the imagination and that is not real.. _Derek

Since i will be 40 this Tuesday, i will say that i have noticed alot more things in the way of i appreciate things more.I still notice that people that are the same age as me are still trying to dress like they are in their teens, which makes me smile, perhaps i am growing old gracefully,lol.At this rate when my children are old enough to leave home, there will be no houses for them, so i think that they will still be here when they have their own children.I have plans for myself where as a few years ago i never really thought of things that i wanted in life at all much.

It so nice to hear how you see growing old as a gift and a different kind of experience. It's good to know how you embrace aging with much love and happiness instead of being grumpy and hot-headed as years go by. I wish that by the time I turn 40, I would see life in a brighter way and see growing old as a gift instead of a curse.

I salute you for all you said. Like you, i have grown old, but i am happy i reached this age and looking forward to my retirement years with my husband. I look forward to seeing my daughter with her own family and maybe taking care of my grandchildren. Though we have grown older, our heart will always remain to be young. That's one secret of growing old, happy.

Yes,our bodies can age,but we can keep our hearts or mindsets young.When we're old,our children have grown up,we can begin our new life without considerations and burdons.Bravely confronting our aging is normal and active.Good health with you!

I agree with you on this subject. I just turned 51 and although I am currently fighting a recurrence of ovarian cancer, I feel like I still have a lot to live for. I try new things as I am able to (either financially or physically) and I try to learn new things or just communicate with people. That is one reason I come here. I wouldn't have thought of doing this 10 years ago (not that it was available then anyway). I am a lot more open to communication now than when I was younger. Thanks for sharing!

I feel very blessed that i have been allowed to grow older, There was a time when they didn't think i was going to live.

There is so much to see in this world,, AND to cherish.

I am not really afraid of growing older.age is just a number.youth is inside our personalities and heart.I enjoy simple things.I love cartoons,and I believe that won't stop.I have a childlike views in living.I may get older,but on the inside,I'm a youth.

Some people just age. Some age gracefully. I think those who age with acceptance age with grace. And, it's not because you get older that you lose interest in life. My godmother, who is nearing 70 is such a go-getter. Just last year, she did the zipline! (You are harnessed and you slide from a high mountain to a lower mountain!)

I remember when I was a child, I was really eager to grow older. I wanted to wear high hills, and be a teacher. Now that I'm already 24, and can now wear high hills while standing in front of my students, still doesn't have fear of growing older. But I've been telling my self that I won't grow old without nothing to be proud of. I mean the things that I should have learned for the past years while living on earth. For, me one should not fear getting old when He knows he have done his part and have learned what he supposed to learn.

You are right, when I am younger I seldom appreciate things and my family. Now that I am older and had a family of my own. I tend to miss them more and appreciate them more. Especially my mom. We were never close, but when I became a mom I came to comprehend why she has been so strict to me and that she only wants to protect me. Things arent just things when you mature. You discover a lot looking at things in a different perspective.

age is only in the mind. as i age, i see to it that i understand the language of the younger generations, what they want and how they think. this way, i feel younger and there is no generation gap. i have mellowed, more patient and more appreciative of little things done or given to me. i seldom get upset and if i do, it doesn't last for 10 seconds and laugh instead of making my life miserable.

Wow!! I know how it is to know people who think they are Old and never want to consider doing anything new and exciting. They seem to want to give up and just accept everything and never want to change. For me, I think overall it is their loss over anything else, as with me I am almost 47 and I know even with all the issues in my life Medically I have goals and dreams still I would like to see accomplished to where I sometimes feel like my life is still just beginning. Since I am also trying to get a Business going besides the joys of stressors of having to work for someone else I know what happens from here is up to me as well.

Well I am 71 and dont think of me being old. try to keep a bright mind and do things with grand daughter to feel young. I do think having kids around keeps ya young in mind if not in body lololol

What a post Zandi! Excellent ! Your post has very deepen meaning and moret than what it conveys. I agree with you that when one's children have settled down and start their own life, one feels free from obligations, though the bonding between children and parents remain. Growing old is natural and we should accept it gracefully and after all every one (those who are even young today will grow old one day). Acceptance of reality makes us more positive and happy inside rather then pretending what we actually are not. Have a great day!

hi zandi wow you do have the right attitude. I have been enjoying being able to actually say yes I do need some help. after all I just spent twenty days recovering from a fight with a tile floor.of course the floor won. At least my very black eyes now have only a small black circle under each eye. I broke my nose and it doesn't hurt, have two welts above my right eyes, and twisted my knee. so yes I did not refuse any help as I just relied on my age. lol lol lol. I have been very used to being independent so having to be helped like a baby was very hard for me until I reconciled myself.I have yet to lose interest in life as long as I am breathing as the world is really a wonderful place. I am just so happy I did not break any major bone. of course my knee is still painful but at least now I can walk without screaming in pain. lol. I do feel much freer now that I am elderly. I can actually tell myself okay so you did not do such and such, big deal, I will do it tomorrow. I have seen the world does not stop just because you put something off. I am less uptight than I was back ten or twenty years.

Hi Zandi, sometimes we do tends to have the feeling fear to confront our actual age when we started to grow older. Especially our heart, tends to feel and cling to our youth, hoping the time won't turn so fast. Sometimes, we tends to desire the things like what our younger generation have, for example clothing. I saw a few of my older friends who are in their 50's, still wearing sexy clothing whenever they went shopping. It is because they said their heart desire to be young again. Seems like, we should always appreciate with our life no matter we are standing at what age.

I'm on my late 50's and I don't feel like one; I'm a flexible person. I can mingle with the younger and old generation as well. Would you believe some of my friends are about 8-12 years old. That's how I am; they even think that my daughter looks like my sister. You're right, there's still a pleasure and joy in growing old.