Are You Aging Like Milk or Wine?
By Kathleen A. Matchunis
Do you know how you are aging? Have you bought into the stereotypes about aging and what you are supposed to act like or look like at a certain age?
I ran into an acquaintance the other day and asked her how things were going. She told me a little about what she was doing and I commented, “It sounds like you are having fun!” She replied, “Well, I don’t know if we can really have fun when we are older.” I replied, “Oh we can still have fun; it may be different than we were young (i.e. minus the hangover), but it is still fun!” I was really taken aback by the idea that one can’t have fun past a certain age. I am certainly glad no one told me about this concept earlier.
So, are you aging like milk? Are you becoming sour? It’s really conscious decision. Are you going to sit around and think about being younger, which isn’t going to happen or will you use your past experiences for your personal growth and perhaps mentor others? I hear people complaining about having birthdays after a certain age. I can’t imagine how many people who are terminally ill who would do anything to have another birthday. So before you start complaining about getting older, think about the alternative. My philosophy is the older you get, the longer you can celebrate. I spend a couple of months or more celebrating my birthday by catching up with different friends and family members.
There is another choice to make regarding aging. You can age like wine! As you know, wine gets better with age. Yes, it becomes full-bodied with age, but good wine is appreciated by many. Wine brings people together and compliments a meal. Wine brings out the mellowness in people (when used in moderation, of course), and takes the edge off a hard day. Yes, this is what I enjoy about becoming older! I have a choice to use what I know to become a better person, to be appreciated by many, to bring people together, and help someone take the edge off their day by simply listening and being present for them.
Yes, you can still have fun as you get older, but it may not be the manic fun of youth. It is the satisfying fun that you can sustain throughout your life.