About Wisdom
One of the benefits of growing older is that we acquire wisdom. By the time we become boomers, we have experienced ups and downs along the way and have learned to accept the many variables that make up life. While we may be tempted to dwell on the negatives in our lives it is a time to enjoy the great gift that is life.
Not dramatizing whatever happens to us might well be the secret to feeling contented while we add on years. As we age, our bodies change; it’s something that we simply must accept. Those who can do it with humor are most fortunate. Loretta LaRoche, the stress expert who gives talks that offer a new perspective on the difficult parts of life, is a strong believer in not sweating the stuff we can’t change. As she puts it: “I’m now in my furniture age; my chest is in my drawers.”
When we reach a certain age, we have earned certain rights and we can get away with many eccentricities. I believe that when we are not satisfied with the service we get somewhere, we can raise our voices to get the attention, if not the respect, we deserve. And if you want to get even with your children for not visiting often enough, you’re free to buy a mansion, mortgage it to the hilt and make sure they know it will be their legacy!
A while back I read about a 94-year-old lady who was charged with selling illegal drugs. Certainly the first time in history that a drug pusher needed a walker! Although she was on the wrong side of the law, you’ve got to admire her view that age is not a barrier to action.
Now that spring is in full swing, it’s the perfect time to assess if we make enough of an effort to make the most of life. Once we make a healthy lifestyle a priority in our lives, we need to take time to smell the roses rather than waste time worrying. You realize, of course, what that means—we’ll live long and prosper. My brother sees that as a problem: “What’s going to happen in the future when all these healthy people begin dying of nothing?” Food for thought.
One last thing to consider. If furniture and cars become valuable antiques with time, why can’t it be the same with people? You know the rule of antiques: signs of usage and wear increase the value of the item. I must be worth a pretty penny by now!
