Aging, wellness, health, immobilization, joint pain, hormones, exercise, diet, doctors, hospitals, care, living and dying; how did these sneak up on me and become regular conversation topics? How is it that I spend more time talking about these kinds of issues and less about music, vacation destinations, hot new restaurants, cute guys at the gym or even workplace gossip!?! I remember when my biggest area of focus was who would be joining us for our standing Sunday afternoon “Church”; which consisted of Mexican food and margaritas in Old Town San Diego! (my friends and I called it church, because we did it faithfully!)
Now the most consistent thing I do is take a nap everyday!
Don’t get me wrong… I have never been happier. Yet there is this irony to life that the older and usually wiser you get, the less stamina, energy or strength you have to use with that knowledge! I can’t even begin to tell you how many things that I have done in the past, that even now as I reflect on them… I can’t imagine ever doing again.
I was talking to a friend yesterday who said she never really learned to dance. My response was that from the age of 21 to 30 I went out dancing 5 nights a week! Up until my late forties… I was still out dancing a couple of nights a week! (Thank goodness… Because that is how Fito and I met!). Well I haven’t seen a dance floor in several years now. Not because I don’t enjoy dancing, but because it is hard on the joints… And dancing shouldn’t be painful!
10 years ago… I was trekking in Nepal! Some days we hiked up or down several thousand feet (1 day over 5000!)! It is not that I couldn’t do that again… It just means it would take a lot more time, preparation and serious amounts of muscle relaxers!
And in here amongst all this whining about how much harder all of this physical stuff is theses days… There is a silent message that I am sending myself that says it is hard getting older! That there is nothing I can do about the aging process.
Well…just writing this down I realize I am busted! I am here to say this is crap (and excuses)! I need to clear away these beliefs and attitudes about aging… Or they will become self fulfilling.
Aging can be a path to diminishing experiences and capabilities OR we could learn to adapt, modify and maximize the opportunities that life presents. It is easy to give in and allow an aging body to take its toll. It requires more focus and effort to realign ourselves with optimal health.
This is not a matter of trying to hold on to youth… Which is probably how I have been thinking of this. Instead it is being the best version of this age that I can be. So, I am back to the beginning. In order to figure this out… Maybe it requires having those discussions and putting some focus and attention on the aging process… Without making it wrong or bad! I guess it is time to start paying attention. Do these conversations support me in living the healthy life of my dreams or do they encourage giving up or giving in! Time to get realistic about what I am creating for myself and the years ahead!
With Light, Love, and Laughter
Charles