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Daily Question, June 25

How might I accept and honor growing older?

  • Stephanie

    I will accept and honor growing older as because I have so much to look forward to and I’m always wondering about who I am going to beor do when I am older and I believe right now I’m at the stage in my life WHERE I AM STRUGGLE DEEP DOWN WITH MY MENTAL HEALTH AND IM PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONALLY DRAINED AND DONE WITH EVERYONE LIFE IS HARD SOMETIMES AND YOU HAVE JUST TAKE THAT AND ACCEPT THAT as I get older I will accept and apperaite and honor growing up.

  • Elaine

    Never stop the search for meaning and purpose. Resist any inclination towards “I’m too old for that”.

  • Yram

    April 12 was the 80th day before my 80th birthday. Each week since then I assigned a theme. Each day during that week I did an activity to follow that theme. Some themes were: grateful, connect, fun, nature, physical, outrageous, give etc. I enjoyed the idea.

    • Barb C

      Oh, that builds on the idea I captured in a blog post of doing X number of things to honor my X birthday. I’m going to work back from my upcoming 60th birthday–I still have time to start things 60 days out from that. In our family we refer to have a “birthdayweekmonth” to keep the celebration going so I may go 60 days past my 60th, too. Thank you for the idea!

  • dh

    Being thankful for the days that my body and this earth have provided me. Try to live in the moment and look forward to moments still to come.

  • Susan Fridinger

    … by breathing in and out and enjoying every moment; being grateful in and through the limitations; honoring the losses and continue to gracefully move forward.

  • Ose

    Say “thank you dearly” to the aging part of my existence which is my body, that it has carried me this far, allowing me to express and feel and sense all of life through it. One of the precious gifts of aging I feel is awareness. For me, to be helped and guided by kindred hearts to open up and find back to Love while living in this sacred vessel is most wonderful and humbling. Shared joy, in process.

  • Don Jones

    Perhaps it is more about awakening? The idea of growing older seems very linear, a single direction and final. Awakening is a multidimensional unfolding and eternal. I sense the need to awaken, not grow old. Sounds like I don’t accept growing old, but growing up.

  • Nancy

    As I step through each new threshold on this journey, I will release what no longer serves me and embrace what is before me. As I practice this, I will be preparing for the ultimate release to see what will then be before me.

  • Sukhy

    Not focusing on my age. Do what you want and when you want, until you’re in your grave, its NEVER too late.

  • Charlie T

    By taking good care of myself and helping others.

  • Mica

    How might I minimize my memory losses?? My friend and I both want to live shorter lives than our mothers – this is a recent new discovery of mine, as I struggle with the complexity of the devices I use – smart phone and laptops especially. I’d expected to live a couple years longer than my mother did, but now I hope not to!

  • pkr

    Acceptance.
    Letting go.
    Honor the wisdom I have earned.
    Keep on learning.
    Stop complaining.
    Never give up.
    Be grateful.

  • Barb C
    I carry within me all the ages I have ever been. Each phase has enriched who I am and how I approach and accept living in the world. I'll turn 60 this year and expect to look back in a few years and remember being 59 as "young". It's all relative. Hoping not to feel spammy, I'll share a personal blog post with an idea I got from somewhere about celebrating birthdays by doing something(s) as many times as you have years. My sister added to my original list and ideas have come in from social me...

    I carry within me all the ages I have ever been. Each phase has enriched who I am and how I approach and accept living in the world. I’ll turn 60 this year and expect to look back in a few years and remember being 59 as “young”. It’s all relative.

    Hoping not to feel spammy, I’ll share a personal blog post with an idea I got from somewhere about celebrating birthdays by doing something(s) as many times as you have years. My sister added to my original list and ideas have come in from social media. It’s a way of celebrating that you have more years and several of the ideas involve self-reflection in some form http://biketoworkbarb.blogspot.com/2022/05/counting-up-years.html.

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  • carol

    Old age, sickness and then death– the unpleasantness of the joys of being alive that I’m getting better at being at peace with. Let the pain be the pain. over and over and over… until I no longer need to remind myself.

    • Mica

      Thanks, Carol – I’m tolerant of the pain and delighted to remember previous pain that no longer exists. It’s the aging brain that distresses me more. But it’s wonderful to remember pain that no longer ‘is’. Warm wishes to you – 🙂

  • Carol

    I think the answer’s in the question…acceptance, acceptance, acceptance. All of life is about letting go. The Serenity Prayer comes to mind: God grant me the wisdom to accept the things I can’t change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I pray for wisdom daily and know in my heart that Life is trustworthy. Don’t fight, flee or freeze. Let it BE. After all, there is a message in the title “human Being.”

    • dragonfly
      Carol, I really like your mentioning of the serenity prayer. We always seem to associate aging with all manners of decline and while that might be more prevalent in old age it can happen at any age. There can be accidents, medical mishaps, chronic illness. genetic defects and so much more that can befall a human being. In fact I feel that with all the potential adversities out there it is a real miracle to be alive. Sometimes wisdom is also attributed to aging. Well, age does not protect from ac...

      Carol, I really like your mentioning of the serenity prayer. We always seem to associate aging with all manners of decline and while that might be more prevalent in old age it can happen at any age. There can be accidents, medical mishaps, chronic illness. genetic defects and so much more that can befall a human being. In fact I feel that with all the potential adversities out there it is a real miracle to be alive. Sometimes wisdom is also attributed to aging. Well, age does not protect from acting foolishly and I know young people who are wiser than me in some aspects of life. In other words age is just a number. Wherever we find ourselves on our journey accepting what we can not change is one way of honouring ourselves as is changing what we can and knowing ourselves well enough to distinguish between those two options according to our abilities independent of age.

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  • Linda

    By continually finding ways to be of service to those who need help. Given today’s political climate, I suspect there will be many opportunities.

    • Barb C

      Thank you for this. Not feeling grateful about some things today.

  • sunnypatti
    Several years back, I was watching the CBS Sunday Morning News Show, and they were interviewing Tom Petty (RIP) just before or after his 60th birthday. The news guy asked him how he felt about turning 60, and Tom said something like, “well there’s only one other option.” That really stuck in my head. I was in my mid-late 30s at the time, my life was really different, and aging kinda scared me. Now, at 49 turning 50 in 5 months, I easily accept aging. It’s part of the process, and as Mi...

    Several years back, I was watching the CBS Sunday Morning News Show, and they were interviewing Tom Petty (RIP) just before or after his 60th birthday. The news guy asked him how he felt about turning 60, and Tom said something like, “well there’s only one other option.” That really stuck in my head. I was in my mid-late 30s at the time, my life was really different, and aging kinda scared me.

    Now, at 49 turning 50 in 5 months, I easily accept aging. It’s part of the process, and as Michele mentioned, a privilege. My body has definitely changed, but I’m still healthy and can still surf, do yoga, pull up cardio workouts on youtube, run, etc… and I’m a heck of a lot wiser and appreciate my mental and spiritual growth so very much.

    Enjoy the journey!

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  • Chester

    Responding to the unique challenges and opportunities of every moment, every age – captured perfectly by Brother David’s “stop, look, go”. Also remembering that the miraculous development that we see in our children is also a product of aging.

  • Laura

    The truth is I am getting older. It seems useless and a waste of time not to accept it. Aging beats the alternative, to paraphrase an old adage.
    There are fewer demands on me now. I have more time to observe, ponder and contemplate what this chapter of life can teach me, and there is so much to learn.
    I have a depth of contentment that didn’t exist 30 years ago. I treasure that.

  • Mary Pat

    Some days are easier than others. When I get frustrated that I can’t physically do things I used to, I think of my sisters and some of my friends who didn’t get to live as long as I have. And then, acceptance is there…I try to honor being older by doing more for my children and the world since I am here.

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