Journey Through Life - Growing Old

I have often wonder why so many people worried so much about growing old, especially if you understand that if you live long enough you’re going to grow old.  There are two important elements to growing old.  First, there is the element of calendar year age.  There is no magic to this, it simply means that each year you’re alive, you will without question grow one year older and it a continual process with no breaks.  The second element to growing old is; mental attitude/age.  In others words, how old do you feel, act, think, and what are you doing to give yourself an advantage against the calendar year age element of aging.  Although you can’t change the calendar year process, you damn sure have a lot impact the second factor of aging, that mental attitude/age.

How many friends, relatives and others you know have died at a very young age?  Do you think they wouldn’t have just loved the chance to grow old and don’t you think they wouldn’t change places with you, if they could.  Sure they would.  In order to grow old you need to stay alive.  Life deals all of us some tough time, some we don’t handle well, is dealing with those tough times.  Again, I’ll bet any of those who died young would much rather have lived and faced those hard times, that are sometimes related with aging , than to have died young and not had the experience that we older have had.

I think if you take time to look around you and not simply focus on your own aging process you will also find my young people who have more  serious problems than you or I, and they won’t live long enough to overcome those problems no matter what they do.  I have quadruple by-pass surgery in 2003 and underwent a total of four surgeries in the 2006-07 to repair a perforated colon and emergency surgery to place my guts back in my stomach after the first stomach surgery to repair the perforated colon ruptured at my dinner table and all my guts came out.   I was determine that I would do whatever it took to get back on my bike and get back to living free.  It took over a year to get back, but I did it, because of my mental element of attitude.   In other words, I decided not to let calendar aging and difficult time’s dictate of how I would live the rest of my life.  The good Lord kept me alive for something more than to sit in a chair and complain about how tough life was for me and wonder why he let this happen to me.  It happened and it was up to me to accept and deal with it.  Learn to accept what is give you and then continue on with your life, that a major key to happiness

The secret to successful aging is to accept it, it dozen’t mean you’re dead, it simply means you need to adapt new methodology for continuing doing the things you like to do whether that be sex, golf, boating, riding motorcycles, or whatever else turns your crank.  Next, you need to stop sitting in the over stuff chair feeling sorry for yourself and wondering why you arena’t having as much fun as when you were younger.  The reason for that is, you have allowed yourself to let the element of attitude aging take control of the aging process.  Instead of sitting there wondering why you can’t do the things you enjoy doing, go out and get some exercise, become activity, and most of all continue doing the things you enjoy doing,  but being innovative about how you do them.

Life is meant to be enjoyed and to be lived.  It wasn't meant to just sit around, wasting time wishing, regretting, or not doing the things you really want to do but don't, because you worry about what others think.  Nor, should you fear death,everyone is going to die, if they live long enough.  Again, the secret is to enjoy life while you can.  Regret the things you didn’t do, not the things you have done.  Stop, judging others who may not live their lives the way you live yours.  After all, it’s their life, not yours. They are all a part of your journey through life and that life can end at any time. 

Finally, be thankful for the good times life has given you, accept the difficult times that come your way because you can’t change them.  We are not born with a written guarantee attached and you damn sure won’t come back to get a second chance to do the things you wanted to do but were to afraid to do.  As for me, as I ride by smiling, you can bet your bippy I will be enjoying the hell of my life at 71, knowing that I am living my life the way I want – FREE.

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