The Benefits of Getting Old

“Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.” -- Mark Twain

Sure, there are creaky bones, names flying out of the head, and deepening wrinkles. But recently many people I know have acknowledged the delights of aging. There is so much more! I’ve decided it’s time to celebrate the benefits of getting old.

Just to give you a taste – here’s what I’ve heard from friends, all over 60:

• Paul treasures having learned to slow down and enjoy the moment.
• Susan cares less about what others think.
• Dona no longer yearns to achieve.
• Nancy loves choosing how to feel.
• Carla notices small things like the breeze on her skin.
• Dave loves the pace.

For myself, I can’t remember a more satisfying time of life.

• I don’t get drawn into other peoples’ dramas.
• It is a delicious treat to spend the weekend with old friends.
• I have meaningful conversations every day.
• I have time to stay fit.
• In my 70’s I’ve finally learned to cook, and food never tasted so good!

If you feel like time is flying by at quite a clip, and you can’t believe you are your chronological age, check out what a few other wise people have said about aging:

• “A great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” Madeleine L’Engle
• “A ninety-year-old man was asked to what he attributed his longevity. ‘I reckon,’ he said, ‘it’s because most nights I went to bed and slept when I should have sat up and worried.’” Dorothea Kent
• “It was only in my forties that I started feeling young.” Henry Miller
• “The great man is he who does not lose his childlike heart.” Mencius

Enjoy this inevitable aging process. Be grateful. And notice all the things that are easier and more enjoyable as you go.

COACHING QUESTIONS:

1. What benefits of aging have you experienced?
2. What have you been able to let go of?
3. What have you wanted to do forever that you can do now?