Aging isn’t a game to
be played.
It
isn’t a volcano to be capped or a river to be dammed. It can’t be exercised
away or ‘botoxed’ into oblivion.
Growing
older is a day by day process of keeping aware of the changes, those shifts in
perspective as well as the slowing of the mind and body. Emotions even dance
with less drama.
And
the Spirit? The Spirit soars when I give it space and time to merge into my
every day experience.
What
seems to last, for me, is the humor.
I
can laugh at myself these days when I am by myself, not just when I’m retelling
a story of misadventure or miscommunication.
Do
I miss anything of youth? Not much!
Certainly
not the pain and anxiety of all the firsts: first tooth, first bra, first
period, first drink, first dance, first kiss, first sexual tumble, first
husband, first baby, first call from the police, first car accident, and on and
on.
If
I miss anything at all, it is of the early wonder when every single thing was
new.
But,
I can get that back, by slowing down and taking each thing in as if I have
never seen or experienced it before.
Aging
doesn’t mean shutting down or being shut away.
It
can mean expanding and continually being present for old and new experiences
alike.
Aging
means wrinkles at the edges of smiles, saying hello to all the cats and dogs on
the street, wearing makeup or a clown’s nose, donning sweats to the post office
or concert clothes.
Aging
means I can recreate myself or value my ‘oldering’ model.
There
is a freedom now, and I relish it. There are advantages, and I’m opening to
every perk of aging as I come to recognize each one.
