Freedom in Aging

It is a rather nostalgic week for us.  I had my 56th birthday, Bill had his 58th, and we will celebrate our 32nd wedding anniversary in a few days.

In the last year I have had moments of being overwhelmed by aging...seeing wrinkles appear overnight, my hair is no longer grey but is now turning white, and the double chin thing, I won't even go into that!

Over the last month, however, our small group has been walking through the issues of aging and my perspective has changed.  We have been watching videos Bill and I have produced on Insights Into Aging Parents and Loss.  They will be part of a course we are going to offer with tips on the emotional and practical aspects of supporting aging parents.

We have also been reading, Improving With Age by Stuart and Jill Briscoe, in an effort to prepare for our own aging.  We have looked at some of the difficult issues.  How will we respond to an acquired disability if that happens?  Do we have our affairs in order?  What does retirement mean?  Should we ever retire?

We have also looked at the great aspects of aging.  It has changed my outlook as I look at the freedoms of aging.

• Freedom to seek and fulfill God's calling on my life.
• Freedom financially.  We have what we need and we don't feel the pressure to compete or keep up with anyone.
• Freedom from the decisions of parenting to enjoying the intense joy of loving and spoiling our children and grandchildren.
• More freedom to just sit back and enjoy... everything.
• Freedom from boredom or questioning what to do.
• The freedom to take courses I am interested in without the pressure of grades or acquiring debt.  
• And the freedom of knowing I am at the right place at the right time.

Since I retired from teaching a year and a half ago, I have been living with this mindset but the Briscoes summed it up well for me.  What books need to be read, what topics need to be learned, what skills could be developed, what service could I offer, what needs should I meet, which people should I seek to know-all of which would yield a productive use of my leisure time?

I realize to some Bill and I are still very young and yet to others we are the young old.  Just as I always told our children, Do not let life just happen to you.  Plan it.  That is how I feel about this next half or third of my life, Do not let aging just happen, plan it! And in addition to that, ENJOY IT!