I do not like the alternative
It puzzles me why some people do not like to acknowledge their birthdates. Many of us “older folks” grumble about having birthdays but such occurrences are our realities to be alive so - instead of bemoaning the fact that we are another year older - we should be celebrating such accomplishments. From my perspective, I will gladly take all of those milestones that I can achieve.
George Bernard Shaw wrote: “Youth is the most precious thing in life; it is too bad it has to be wasted on young folks.” I somewhat disagree with Shaw’s viewpoint. If I recall all of my life’s experiences that I have gone through (survived) and that which has occupied my time - whether I approved or not - I am grateful that I succeeded in reaching this point in my life. As Dr. Gene D. Cohen stated in The Mature Mind - “Life is the sum of all your choices.”
Our ages are more than the dates of our births; therefore, we should not let calendars or anyone else dictate our years. Yes, I was born at a certain time in a particular year but I am only as old as my cells and arteries. We do carry genes from our forebearers but research is proving they only influence us to a small extent. We definitely have more influence over our lives than we realize. If I control - as much as I am able - factors such as what I eat/drink, my activities, my stress levels, my environmental circumstances and my social involvements, I probably will have a longer, healthier life.
Regardless of the species, survival is its ultimate challenge. A person’s life expectancy at birth in Canada has risen to 79.8 years for males and 83.9 years for females (Statistics Canada, 2018). Compare our longevity potentials to that of the red squirrel (approx. five years) which scurries around my property. Or, my occasional nighttime visitors, the white-tailed deer, whose lifespan could reach 10 years. When I resided in Truro my dog lived 13 human-defined years. Using the common ratio of 1 dog year to 7 human years, he was actually 91 dog-years old. (I like to think his lifestyle and my care helped him reach that achievement.)
Our culture tends to put less emphasis on “older folks.” Yes, I am a white-haired senior, but I still have much potential to achieve. I refuse to support what I refer to as a societal and aged stereotype because the calendar and others attempt to place me into a category that I consider unjust.
We are bombarded with much advice to save for our later-in-life financial security but what about fostering the conditions and opportunities to maintain our mental and physical health? My earlier mentioned factors-to-control will assist us to achieve healthier goals.
“It’s important to remember that even in late life, the brain retains key abilities. To be sure, some aspects of intellectual functioning decline with age, but learning is always possible, and the depth of experience encoded in old brains is irreplaceable. New dendrites, new synapses, and even new neurons continue to be created - especially when the older adult is actively engaged in activities that are physically and mentally stimulating.” (Dr. Gene D. Cohen). Our challenge is to accept the fact the aging brain has greater potential than most people think and its development can continue.
As the years slide by, and they seem to be passing faster than previously, I’ll welcome all of my birthdays that I can achieve because I don’t like the alternative. My goal is to work to prove the inaccuracy of George Bernard Shaw’s earlierstated opinion.