Last week I asked for your thoughts on the benefits of aging. I loved the responses …
“One of the joys of aging for me is that I can still play tennis, something I thought would be well in my past by now. It’s also a joy, since most of the people I play with are younger, so I have a ready-made excuse when I lose.”
“A couple of weeks ago I had my 79th birthday. Every day I think about the fact that there may not be much time left! Two thoughts occur to me frequently: first, I feel more real -- I have given up all pretense and I am not trying to become more important, more accomplished, more well-known. That leaves a lot of time for paying attention to all the wonder of creation and for gratitude to be part of this amazing life.”
“Some luck lies in getting not what you thought you wanted, but what you have, which once you have it you may be lucky enough to realize is what you would have wanted all along had you only known.”
Great observations. It reminds me, to paraphrase some good advice shared by popular troubadours* of our youth (and that I may not have fully appreciated then) that what you think you want and what you need may be different. And with just a little effort you may find the things in life that are exactly what you need. Even as what you need is changing.
Going through a bout of depression when I was much younger a friend advised me that focusing on life’s smallest things, like the change of seasons, could brighten my mood. And it did. Now, in my late fifties, that advice still resonates and I find myself putting it to work.
I look for the joy in creation every day. On my daily walking commute, I frequently encounter Lacy, a beautiful hound that seems equally enthralled when she sees me as I do when I see her. When I see Lacy, it lifts my spirits … I am truly happier just sharing a moment with her. Aging has taught me that I should take the opportunity to find these moments each and every day.
So let’s keep celebrating Older Americans Month by continuing to do and reflect on those things that bring us joy -- whether that’s enjoying a game of tennis or noticing the beauty around you. And keep sharing your thoughts on the benefits of aging.
Join Our Free Concert Sunday
There's no better place than Tregaron to enjoy a string quartet and take in the beauty of mother nature. Please sign up to attend.
String Quartet in the Park
Sunday May 21
3:00 to 5:00 PM
And during May, please remember that we’re encouraging Village members to recommend membership to friends and neighbors. Your successful referral earns a $100 discount on your own membership when your membership renews!
Frank Finamore is Executive Director of the Village
* Keith Richards (age 79) and Mick Jagger (age 79):
You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes you just might find You just might find that you You get what you need, oh yeah Ah yeah, do that