Next year I will hit my 60th run-around-the sun, and I am reflecting on all the ways in which maturing is more fun, more grounding, or even perhaps more desirable than remaining young forever.
Traditional societies have revered elders for their wisdom and perspective. In our younger societies we have come to worship youth as more desirable – my theory being that we’re deflecting our fear of death, or maybe we just don’t think wrinkles are fashionable (although not everyone becomes wrinkly as they age). Young people may be creative and exuberant, technologically with it (absolutely important in our day and age), but they lack experience, and potentially depth, because they haven’t been around the block.
Nowadays “older” depends so much on your personal outlook. Ernestine Shepherd is an 80-year old body builder who began training not so long ago. Tao Porchon-Lynch, the 101-year old ballroom dancer and yogini, still teaches yoga several times a week. Bless people who can afford to retire in their 50s, but not all wish to do so. Many professors teach into their 70s and even 80s. Authors can practice their craft until the day they die. 86-year old Ruth Bader Ginsburg still sits on the Supreme Court, and I know many people who travel into their high 80s. And why not?
Our thinking about aging and “old age” is evolving. When AARP sent me a card a few years ago I laughed it all the way into the trash can. The French have broadened their senior citizen categorization from le troisième age, the 3rdage, the over 60s, to the quatrième age, the fourth age, the over 80s. “Old” seems to relate more to how you look and feel and think instead of your actual age. The Huffington Post published a chart that shows activity peaks according to age. Peaks in life satisfaction, happiness with your body, and psychological wellbeing are all achieved starting in your late 60s. And aren’t those the markers that count most?
Is it all in the mind? Are we our worst enemy? To some extent yes. How do you think about old age? What are your plans?