Ac-cen-tu-ate the Positive, E-lim-inate the Negative… No Room for Mr. Inbetween.
Everybody is talking about aging these days. The young ones want to be older and have more perceived freedom, while the ones 37 and older are sad and talk about their regret about aging.
Seriously? Get a grip! Everyone would be a lot happier if we simply loved the age we are. There is no changing it. We have one life; we can choose to live with joy and gratitude for being alive or not! And the words we use are so important for our well-being.
Yesterday, I attended two Vietnam Era Veteran Pinning ceremonies, opening with the Pledge to the Flag and a prayer thanking Almighty God for life, liberty, and the men and women who shed blood to allow us to gather. In addition to those present, both ceremonies honored those who were locked in the timelessness of their age at death—15, 19, 25, and 62. The WALL in DC has 54,000 of those.
I also attended the Senior Olympics open house at the YMCA-Bethany, where now more than 1,200 people are signing up for 30 opportunities to compete, increase activity, and meet new friends. It has been life-changing for my friend Kathleen.
Our culture suggests old is awful and should be dreaded, using negative words like “having a senior moment,” “can’t believe I’m over the hill at 26,” and “out of date.” But I say, “I love my age.” There are so many opportunities to continue to learn and plan. Some choose to start stopping, but not me. When I’m serving others, I feel useful and have a purpose. In these moments, there’s no time for negativity, grumbling, or self-pity. And the benefits? When I’ve put in a good, long day, it makes sleeping really delicious. A-h-h-h.