Grow Old
December 2020 is when my MIL (mother-in-law) turned 70. It’s interesting to see how 70 is not different from maybe 60 in today’s World. Age is finally becoming just a number. With a greater awareness towards health and diet combined with advancements in medical care, the life expectancy has been pushed further back. This is great for all of us!
Birthdays are inevitable and growing old is a privilege denied to many. Aging well is an art and can be learned if one wishes to enjoy life at every stage. Few of the tips given by health experts are:
Tip 1: Learn to cope with change
Change is the only constant. If we learn to adapt to the changing world, we stand a better chance of survival.
Tip 2: Find meaning and joy
The true meaning of life is to find purpose. If we can add value, in some shape or form for the greater good, our existence becomes meaningful.
Tip 3: Stay connected
Being socially active has been scientifically proven to improve the immune system, stronger memory and cognitive skills and lower stress hormones.
Tip 4: Get active and boost vitality
Lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart attack, lower cholesterol levels and many more benefits are derived from being physically active.
Tip 5: Keep your mind sharp
Doing simple crossword and sudoku puzzles has helped many seniors from memory loss and to being more alert.
Does turning 70 mean that it’s time to give up on living? Should it mean losing interest in the things that have heretofore been the source of passion and aliveness? Can it mean to be swept into the corner, left to gather mold and dust until we finally fade away? What the heck is this aging business all about anyway?
While today’s 70-year-old is nothing like the 70-year-old of my grandparents’ generation, there is no mistaking the fact that by any measure, turning 70 marks the beginning of a whole new horizon. Funny though, when I sat down to think about it, I felt that it is a wonderful milestone to be at. If you are blessed with good health, you can seek to fill your calendar with your hobbies and interests. You are old enough to get away with not having to remember names or events and yet young enough to enjoy every adventure. At 70, you are probably free from worrying about your own parents and hopefully lucky enough to have your adult children watch over you. You can spoil your grandchildren rotten and not get the blame if they grow up feeling entitled. You can be their favorite person in the world and not have to clean up their mess or deal with their tantrums. You can travel most places on a smaller budget utilizing the senior citizen’s discount. Banks also offer better rates on fixed deposits, loans, and mortgages to the older generation. The problems and worries of the World seem small matters of discussion. Unemployment rates and food stamps hopefully won’t be your problem. If they don’t find a solution for global warming, a 70-year-old couldn’t care less. Stress about nothing and not worry the least bit of what others think. After having lived 7 decades, a person turning 70 has been alive long enough to see a whole new World and blessed enough to enjoy the technological impact and comforts. Aging helps you live the life you always should have.
In Hinduism, life, like the seasons, is divided into four. The first is that of a student. The second is about raising a family. The third is the beginning of retreat, and the fourth is complete detachment from worldly things. The paradox of the good life is how to be detached from worldly things while being fully engaged in the world. It is almost like living but not being responsible. Attending but not bothered with managing. Seeing but not judging. Knowing but not preaching. Getting the best view of the World and enjoying the show.
If asked, my mom in law will probably say, “Life is better for me at 70 than it was at 30.” Today she is living in our beautiful home on her own terms. At 30, she was a mom to a 4yr old and separated from her husband without a home. She had the burden of an uncertain future on her shoulders. At 70, she is liberated of all responsibility and answerable to no one. She is finally her own boss and deserves to enjoy everything her heart desires. I am deeply grateful for her younger self to have had the courage to fight and be the person that she is today.
Although I am 30 yrs. younger than her, she has more energy and pace than me. She has stamina to binge watch TV shows and way better taste in fashion than I ever will. At 70, she is the last one to go to bed and the first one up. She makes amazing photo collages and has impressive knowledge of smart phones. She is always ready for an adventure and enthusiastic about socializing. Age is a debate of mind over matter, if you don’t mind, it does not matter.
She is 70 and Sensational!
God bless her 🙂
– Maloo Gandhi