Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis
Contrary to popular Western belief, growing old is a privilege. If you observe advertising in the media, you would think aging is a curse. We want to do everything possible to delay, disguise, and defend against it. Yes, I agree we want to be healthy and active, but our culture does not embrace the concept of successful aging. I don’t think we like the other option either. Eastern cultures, on the other hand, revere their elderly. The concept of filial piety (ancestral adoration) is utterly foreign to us. I think it is curious that Japan has the highest life expectancy of all 195 countries in the world; by the way, the US is 40th. Do you think it is possible that when you live in an environment where you are admired and honored for your age you might live longer?
I see this attitude changing, albeit slowly, but we all need to do our part to recognize and refute ageism. This is the time when we commit to making our own paradigm shift. Mahatma Gandhi says, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Aging is a blessing! In every word and action, we need to project our belief that old age is a beautiful thing. Don’t be the one who whines and complains about every ache and pain. Celebrate every day, and especially every birthday as a milestone. A German singer, songwriter, and actress, Nina Hagen reminds us, “We can change the world if we change ourselves. We just need to get hold of the old patterns of thinking and dealing with things and start listening to our inner voices and trusting our own superpowers.” Aging gives you superpowers!
“When we age we shed many skins: ego, arrognace, dominance, self-opionated, unreliable, pessimism, rudeness, selfish, uncaring ... Wow, it's good to be old!” “The good thing about being old is not being young.”
Stephen Richards
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