Feb 9, 2010

Age is but a Number

In this era of always looking young we, as a whole, look at age in two ways. One, as something that should be hidden to the best of our ability and two, as something remarkable because we have reached a milestone that is not normally heard of. I think of Al Roker while he put a spotlight on birthdays while on Good Morning America. We would see men and women in their nineties or even over one hundred. It is easy to marvel at the fact that there people have been on earth for so long and wonder what it would be like to reach that age. Many of us fear getting that old because of the things that come along with old age.

What is a true marvel is when we hear about a woman in her seventies who is still attending college and still earning degrees or an elderly man running everyday through the neighborhood or even in a marathon. We stare in awe at how sharp their mind is or how fit they are. How do they do it? What is it about these people and the many others who are of higher age yet enjoying life and accomplishing goals?

I will tell you. It is not a secret but it is a truth that is often denied. Age is but a number. Granted, there are some who are stricken with illness, disease or fall to injury but even then, age is but a number. As we grow older we begin to slow, this is true, but this is not an indicator that we cannot take care of business and do what we set out to do. If you look at those examples I gave above there is one consistent among them, they are always smiling and have a twinkle in their eyes.

A number cannot get in the way of a mind that wants to learn and wants to be used. A number cannot get in the way of a heart with strong determination and a desire to experience something new everyday.

We cannot avoid growing old but nor should we stop living life because of it.

2 comments:

Writers Shelf Life said...

Bravo! I love this post (and perhaps more since I added to that number we usually use to measure age just yesterday). I think there are times when age allows one to truly start living life as one should.

M.Verdick said...

Writers Shelf Life - Sorry for the late reply, I've been a little busy as of late. I agree with you, at a certain age we each truly begin to experience life in the way it is meant to be experienced.

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