Keeping our older years golden
The Truth Is, We’re Older Than We Think We Are
A Pennsylvania Dutch saying: We get too soon old and too late smart
I asked my 94-year-old brother-in-law this question: “What’s your secret to growing old?’
He answered, “Waking up every morning.”
It’s pretty simple. Yes, growing older happens. But waking up each morning and staying alive is something different.
Expect the unexpected
Leon Trotsky was a Ukrainian-Russian Marxist revolutionary. So why do we listen to him anyway? This proves even the worst among us sometimes say the most memorable lines. He said this:
“Old age is the most unexpected of all the things that can happen to a man.”
I have to agree with Leon on this. I never expected to be 79 years old. Well, what do we expect when we’re 39? Most people are not even thinking of growing old. They’re thinking, “I must climb the ladder of success,” right? Then it happens. We’re older than we ever thought we would be.
Our older years are a joy to us. We should have joy in the years we’re given.
Short years ahead
Let’s turn our attention to a man of better principles. Pope Paul VI lets us in on a secret only we older people know.
In youth, the days are short, and the years are long. In old age, the years are short and days long.
Boy, most of us can attest to the truth of Pope Pauls’s quote, can’t we? Remember how in our teen years we’d come home from school, go outside and play baseball, then have supper? We called it supper, and today it’s dinner. Before we knew what had happened, we were in bed. Our days were short, and our nights were long. Not now for us old-timers.
I retired from my ministry position at the 70. Now I’m 79. What happened?
The fastest nine years known to man happened to me.
Before I knew it, I was standing at the pinnacle of old age. I can’t run through those years again. I only get one shot at this. How am I doing? Not sure.
This year, I’ll turn 80. Woah, am I ready for living in my 80s? I don’t know yet. Ask me next year. You won’t have to wait long. Next year will sail into view soon.
Stay curious
Now let’s hear from an American actor, musician, filmmaker, and political figure. I’m sure you know Hollywood actors know all the correct answers, don’t you? LOL. But in this case, Clint Eastwood hits the nail on the head. His insight is wisdom made simple for growing older with purpose.
“As we grow older, we must discipline ourselves. To continue expanding, broadening, learning, keeping our minds active and open.”
Discipline ourselves. What? I thought retirement was living footloose and fancy-free. We left nine-to-five discipline at the work-site, didn’t we? But, Clint says, no longer are we disciplined by others. Now we make our own discipline as we live out our older years.
Clint presses us to keep learning. To learn is all about staying curious. And keeping active in our social circles, reading, listening to podcasts. A busy mind keeps us sharp as we age.
Here’s the wrap
- It’s never too late to get smart.
- The longer we live, the years shrink.
- Stay curious. Keep an open mind.
- Growing older happens. Staying alive takes discipline.
So do “we get too soon old and too late smart”? Well, truth be known, the years pile on by nature, but our personality can keep getting brighter as we age. I sure hope I’m not dumber, but smarter in my older years. I’m sure you feel the same, right?
- What keeps you curious as you age?
- How are you dealing with the aging process?
Thank you for reading. Let’s keep in touch.
Richard
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