Aging: Thinking about it or Revel in the Glory?

By Anna Cook –
Do you panic thinking about your age or revel in the glory of the golden years?

Why do you panic? What is there to be so frightened of? What is so negative? Why do you find it so depressing?

“Age is the acceptance of a term of years, but maturity is the glory of years” – Martha Graham

Glory:
Definition – something that is a source of honor, fame, or admiration; a distinguished ornament or an object of pride. Very great praise, honor, or distinction

Synonyms – fame, eminence, celebrity, brilliance, refulgence, effulgence

Who wouldn’t want glory after reading that, who wouldn’t want to feel it, to be respected for our glory, to be considered glorious… I WANT IT!

In the Western world we are more in the habit of shunning, fearing or fighting against our years in whatever way we can, trying every charlatan’s claim to eternal youth or squandering fortunes cosmetically in the endless search for the revered fountain of youth, neither of which do anything to slow down the process. There is of course the supreme, but temporary, pleasure of watching the mesmerizing Johnny Depp in Fountain of Youth, but that’s not quite the same thing!

Going under the knife may change the outer vestige of lines and wrinkles, but it doesn’t make you love yourself, it doesn’t make everyone love you, it doesn’t magically bring happiness… Have you seen the frightening difference between lines caused by laughter, energy and enjoyment gained from a life full of interest, love and happiness to those of someone neurotic, miserable, bitter and totally stressed out by superficial appearances? What a barometer of happiness within!  If you want to spend money, concentrate on developing the happiness within, which automatically augments your mental/emotional fountain of youth, which in turn reflects on your physical… get the idea?

Remember the last scene of Wilde’s Dorian Gray… He offered his soul so his looks remained eternally youthful while indulging in a shallow life of immorality and excess. Unable to find happiness, inner demons constantly in his mind, he seizes a knife to kill the past so his soul can be free… When the servants enter what do they see? “He was withered, wrinkled and loathsome of visage. It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognized who it was.”

OK, I know this is Oscar Wilde and it is a novel, however it does show great, if shocking, insight into some people’s rejection of ageing and the lengths to which they will go to fake youth!

How much better to accept and embrace aging, look at the pleasure it can be, the fruitfulness as well as the pleasurable realities.

Sometimes “middle years” ageing can become stressful. Economic, career and family pressures can increase – BUT once you get out of the habit of being stressed you can see all the glorious opportunities to come….  As they say “It is those who can spot opportunities who are truly exceptional.”

Endless possibilities – you can now use all your experience for yourself in the way that is most fulfilling to you… The constraints become less than earlier on, when often dreams and creativity are blocked because of children to bring up, mortgages, and bills not to mention fighting your way up the career ladder. Gone are the maelstrom of deadlines and responsibilities. You have choice!! You can glory in your pleasure, your interests, and your freedom to choose and act as you wish. The energy that rushes back once you have this thought in your head is amazing… the deepest and fastest growing desire to learn more, do more, feel more is not, in fact ,amongst those of young or middle age, but those further along the aging curve! Now you can do what you enjoy most, you can organize your time creatively to discover, to experience and enjoy what energizes you most – physically, mentally, emotionally and culturally!

Think CREATIVE! Aging brings freedom. You know yourself, you can discover the inner you. You can remember your sense of humor, develop it even more and laugh! Laughter, the great miracle worker and cure-all, better to stay mentally young, attractive, radiant and bubbly rather than being a miserable old git! A wonderful example of someone who really lives life and symbolizes these beliefs is my friend Yasmina Rossi… she is a role model par excellence! Now 55 and eternally full of desire for life and living. (Read about her new exhibition, her beliefs and her origins here.)

So freedom to choose, freedom of thought, maintaining interest, reaching out, courage, challenge, inspiration, wisdom, and experience – these are just some of the privileges to be experienced with the glory of your years! What more could anyone want? Stop worrying, panicking, being frightened or depressed… embrace your years, glory in your maturity, knowledge, opportunities, experiences, happiness and confidence.

Look at yourself as a source of honor and admiration; as being a distinguished ornament and an object of pride. Remember glory is fame, eminence, celebrity, brilliance! Glory in yourself…

Interesting aside:  In the UK there is even a New Dynamics of Ageing Project (aims to harness the power of the creative arts to transform the way society views older women – `Look at me! Images of Women and Ageing´) It is a unique collaboration and is the largest and most ambitious research programme on ageing ever mounted there.

Anna Cook – anna@annaletitiacook.com – http://annaletitiacook.com