Age- An Opportunity To Mature

I was once asked if I would stay the cheerful me, irrespective of my age. I had an answer to which I was quite unsure. Why? Why do people doubt themselves when aged? Is it something you must fear? Can you get away without ageing? Well, white hair or bald head, wrinkles or saggy skin are merely your exteriors, do not let it drown the child within. To age is just another stage in life.

What is ageing? Ageing refers to the process of becoming older. In a broader spectrum, it means that single cells within an organism have ceased dividing. Causes of ageing are up in the air, current theories are assigned to the damage concept whereby the accumulation of damage ( such as DNA oxidation ) may cause biological systems to fail, or to the programmed ageing concept, whereby internal processes ( such as DNA methylation ) may cause ageing.

Ageing as of now is inevitable and irreversible. However, there are many factors that control the process of ageing. Your mind can help you accelerate or decelerate the process of ageing. Your age is a result of your mind more than your body. Happier people live longer, often with fewer health problems like heart attacks, blood pressure etc. The more you hold on to joy, optimism, hope as your priorities, the longer and healthier you live.

As a kid, most of us hardly slept the day or a few days before our birthday. The birthday was a great deal! We longed for cakes and candles and wishes and gifts. Why do birthday cards seem like a dooming gloom, especially after your 40's? This brought me to a tale, in this tale is an old man whose skin shrank and his head had just a few strands of grey hair. He went to a salon and one of the employees was asked to assist him. The employee with a rude face looked at his head and asked " should I give you a tonsure? ", The old man held his head like his prized possession and said " No! Colour them blue ". As said the old man dyed his few strands of hair, at the bill counter another employee asked him his age. The old man gave a slow-mo turn running his fingers over his few dyed strands and said: " I'm sweet sixteen with 72 years of experience ". This is it, clearly, ageing is an issue of mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter. There are amazing old people who are a stamp of class on this planet, like Paul Spangler who finished his 14th marathon at the age of 92, Frank Schearer seems to be the oldest active water skier in the world at the age of 100.

There are many things that get better with age like cheese, vine, leather, trees and surprisingly you too. But if there is one thing that will deteriorate that's your body. So age is only to the body not to your spirit. Perks of ageing include better decision making as they are emotionally stable and less impulsive compared to their young peers. A lifetime experience enables you to interpret relationships more efficiently. Self-confidence builds in abundance and people no longer wish to get into someone else's boots instead they begin to embrace themselves.

What is the spell to successful ageing? Don't be an Ostrich! You are smarter than you think, recognize it and celebrate it. Expectations pave way for disappointments, just accept the reality with a smile. Clearly , no man is an island! Grow friendships, connect with people. Sociable people had 1/2 the rate of cognitive decline so, do not isolate yourself. Follow ikigai - a Japanese phrase simply translated as, to find a purpose to wake up. Know to shed stress, it can be through exercise, Zumba etc.

We belong to that species where we introduced baby language! Where did all that chit chat vanish as we age? Statistically, adults over the age of 75 spend only 8% of their time communicating and a 50% drop when they touch 65. By 2050 the world will be hit by a silver tsunami, the global elderly will have increased from 648 million to 1.9 billion. The world should not become a living dead.

Every human is designed to live up to 120 years, it is just a matter of willingness. A French woman named Jeanne Calment lived for 122 years and 164 days ( 1875-1997 ) the oldest known in history.

Stop whining about getting old. It's a privilege. A lot of people who are dead wish they were still alive. - Amy Poehler

It is true that I was asked if I would stay the cheerful me irrespective of my age and I'm sure I have an answer to answer the one who asked me, that is - myself. Self-realization is the first encounter with reality. - Nirmala Srivastava