Our society too often fears aging. Why? Because we are afraid. We have become a very youth oriented culture that has lost track of the natural transition and growth potential that comes with aging.
Our society has imbedded its self-worth into our economy. Companies tell us that we must use certain make-up, wear certain clothes, deny our age and die our hair because in doing so we are encouraged to buy their products. We are encouraged to look younger to avoid the inevitable as long as possible. Words like old or growing old no longer bring up many positive images in our society.
Being retired does not mean approaching a time of inevitable decline and loss of agility. This is a time of life where, for perhaps the first time in our lives, we are permitted to become the full and enlightened person we’ve always wanted to be. A time to explore, grow…become.
There is a gentleman that I think speaks well to this topic on a regular basis. His name is Ron Pevney and his organization is called the Center for Conscious Eldering. I love his honest insights into an aging life. He recently posted an article written by Dennis Stamper titled What do Elders Know and Why is it Still Important? In it he wrote;
“And so, I invite us all, young and old, to re-envision life. To no longer see life as that hill we go over at some point about two thirds into our living and then slide down the other side of into irrelevance, but rather to see life as a journey, a journey up a beautiful mountain and with each step upward we take, when we look back and look around, the view becomes ever more expansive and ever more complete.”
Idealistic? I sincerely hope not. You can see the full article at this link