“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which you were born.”
Albert Einstein
A couple of weeks ago Lar shaved his head. He looks in the mirror and says, “Who’s this old guy? I still feel like the same guy I’ve alway been.” Ever had that kind of a moment with yourself? Thus began the conversation about aging Lar and I are bringing to the mic this week.
We are always the same age inside. What we see, or the changes our body’s go through as a natural course of living a life, doesn’t really reflect how we feel inside.
Aging is just another word for living.”
Cindy Joseph
When I gaze at my 63-year-old face in the mirror, I see how much I have changed and yet how much I remain essentially the same. I can honestly say, “This moment is the prime of my life!” Not only because I know that this moment is the only moment there is — so why cheat myself by thinking the past was the prime, when this moment is the only one I have and have ever had. But also because I have the benefit of lots of prime moments that have become part of who I am, making me kinder, more compassionate, freer, wiser and happier! Smiling comes easy and immediate.
So it’s the prime of my life because I want it that way!
This time of our lives is the only time we have to live in. So why look back? Why tell yourself you’re too old for this or that? If you hear yourself saying something like this, check inside to see what your beliefs around age are. Are those beliefs inhibiting your ability to be present in the situation with all the circumstances that go with this present prime?
Why do we try to hang on to this illusion of youth? Why not settle in to the ‘YOU’ you actually are right now? Accept it all as it is. That feels yummy!
We, as a society, worship youth. And too often as we grow older we try desperately to hold on to that youthful appearance. We need to ask ourselves why?
We spend a lot of our lives wishing for something to hurry up and happen, the week ends, vacation, and quitting time, retirement.
I no longer wish my life away. My life is now! As it’s always been.
I refer to myself as ole lady this and ole lady that and people try to correct me. “You’re not old. Blah, blah, blah. I am. And I’ve earned every year and line in my face.
Our idea of time changes as we grow older and the present moment becomes more vibrant — filling us with appreciation for beauty you never took the time to notice when you were driving forward to some illusion destination where happiness will meet us at the door. Now is filled with your presence and the presence of the universe!
As we age, time mutates, yes? We find ourselves saying, was that last year, or ten years ago or yesterday? But there’s also this sweet slowing down and appreciating life moment to moment that happens. It’s beautiful.
As we age we quit trying to control everything and our values become more and more about appreciating the moments we’re living.
We quit driving for what we think success or perfection is and listen to life instead.
As we age, we grow into a deeper kind of beauty, one which works its way from the inside out. It’s a more authentic and less superficial beauty. It shows through the eyes and the confident way one moves through life. It’s a different beauty because it radiates from within and draws others in.
If you are in love, you are beautiful. When you’re happy, beauty shines from within.
With age comes a kind of joy in knowing, truly deep within, that at every step – whether confident, stumbling, or falling down – I really was doing the best I could at the time.
With age comes appreciation of the simple pleasures of life – a cup of coffee, conversations with friends, chirping birds — the first signs of spring, laughing at our humanness and taking in stride, each day as it comes.
Hope you enjoy our conversation as much as we loved bringing it to you!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on aging, too! And if you have any questions you’d like me to answer, hop over to our Facebook group Living the Yummy Way and share your experience!
