Laugh at old age
‘Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘WOO HOO! What a ride!’ Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
– Author unknown
I totally agree with the last line of this quote, because I believe in living life to the fullest, enjoying all the creativity and fun and mischief I can get myself into, and oozing love, joy and enthusiasm.
Of course, that’s what I believe in, not what I had been practicing lately, so what I’m writing about today is as much a reminder for me as for anyone else.
The rest of the quote above may be amusing, but a body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, is not as glamorous as it sounds – even if you do have chocolate in one hand and wine in the other.
As I am now in what Hallmark affectionately refers to as my “golden years,” I’ve come to realize that the image we’ve all been taught to expect of later life – the image of a person winding down, fearful of slipping and tripping, deteriorating mentally and physically – is simply not accurate for me. I have far too many things to do in my life to let reduced energy and infirmity get in the way. You, too?
Let’s look at a couple examples of older people who have successfully overcome what we think of as the “natural” effects of aging to lead vibrant, successful, meaningful lives well past the common age for retirement – people like Paul Newman and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Newman was a serious athlete in his youth and continued to work, and work out, into his 80s. Georgia O’Keeffe, an American artist best known for her paintings of enlarged flowers and New Mexico landscapes, continued creating art into her 90s, even though she was almost blind. O’Keeffe observed, “The thing that makes you want to create is still there.”
My point is: Your perceptions steer your expectations. And, if we can believe the scientists and sages, we can begin to accept and internalize that who we expect to become bears a huge responsibility for who we actually do become.
Practicing that understanding alone – the knowledge that you can alter your perceptions and enlist your mind’s power in the service of your intentions – is perhaps the most important thing you can do to keep healthy and happy.
Ellen Wood of Questa is an awardwinning author as well as an artist using the name, Maruška. The website for her books and paintings is NorthernNewMexicoArtists.com/ ellen-wood.