Age is a funny thing. Or rather this idea of aging, that has been sold to us. I’ve certainly enjoyed getting wiser as time goes by. Bringing more awareness into my life. I have also got to the point, where I don’t really give a shit what anyone thinks of me. I am who am and that’s, that. You can like me or not, I’m really not that bothered.
It wasn’t always like that, I used to spend way too much time, trying to please others. Wishing that everyone would like me. I sure am happy those times are behind me. But as I entered my forties, l was way more comfortable with who I was. And that is the most important thing.
You got to love yourself first.
So if I were to live till a 100 and why wouldn’t I, I certainly wouldn’t want to have the mind of my 30 year old self. Although I was way more confident in my thirties, than I was in my twenties. I have to say the forties are pretty rocking, when it comes to finally being able to embrace oneself. At least for me anyways.
I have also got much better at playing. Just yesterday I was a a friends birthday party and I was jamming with some friends, doing some improv and it just felt so good. To just be myself in that moment, doing what I love, free flowing, being free.
I sure do, look forward to many more years of that. Where you are focused on creating and not on what you sound like. I have jammed with people who take it too seriously, and miss the opportunity to get lost in the flow and that’s where the magic lies. (Where it lies for me anyhow).
So I would choose to have the body of my 30 year old self, over my 30 year mind. As we age, our worldview widens, we become exposed to more things, more ideas. I don’t want to miss out on that. I look forward to getting even a little sassy as I get older. Perhaps that’s what the fifties are all about.
I already don’t live a life that most forty somethings do. I certainly don’t believe, that we should act in any particular way just because we are a certain age. If we want to stay active into our nineties and upwards, then we remain active. Keep walking, keep dancing, keep living.
It saddens me that in Western Society people seem to lose respect for their elders. Even labelling them as a burden. If you to trust the media, then growing old is all about losing your mobility and your dignity, but that’s up to you. It doesn’t help that so many are obsessed with staying young, with maintains a youthful appearance, but seems like hard work to me.
If you really want to heal in this lifetime, then you got to love who you are. You have to embrace those lines and grey hairs, each of them a testament, to some of the most enlightening times of your life.
Damn I don’t get that with the 30 year old body. Plus, the fittest I have been, has been in my late thirties and early forties. Damn this has been a difficult one @galenkp. Lol.
A great response here, thanks for taking the time. It was a rather hard one to effectively answer I guess.
I liked your comment about how western society treats/responds to/perceives the elderly and it disturbs me to see the lack of respect young people afford them at times. It's disgusting really.
Thanks for taking the time.
Thanks @galenkp, I do enjoy these prompts and find myself looking forward to this post each weekend xxxx
Thanks for saying so, and for being involved. It's greatly appreciated.
I hope I never grow old in my mind. I don't mind my body growing old but I hope the rigours of life don't turn me into a stiff unyielding spirit.
In my late 30s now but I'm still figuring out things about myself, still willing to try new ways of being and for me, it means I'm still keeping open spaces for change. The moment I settle into the routine, everyone expects as one ages, I'm sure I will have difficulties beyond what I'm experiencing now.
I relate with your ideas in this post so much, especially the part about society being afraid of the wrinkles and greys. It is sad that this fear often kills the joy that aging can give one. I'll live my old age, if there's one, according to my own rules not the ones laid up by society or family. 🖤
Yes live by our own rules. I like how my mind is aging, I think there is too much negativity around becoming older. We need to just find our own ways and make the most of it xxxxx
Truth. In my part of the world, being older is a privilege. It is expected that the family cater for their elderly. So you have children, cousins, uncles and aunts participating either by providing care or by just being there to keep them company. Over here it is considered a blessing.
Yet we still have elderly folks who have been abandoned either as a result of poor choices they made about their family or a skewed perspective often caused by blind religiousness. It is sad when people abandon their parents because their pastor told them that these old people who have catered for them are witches. It is just sad to see.
So in certain ways, we have similar issues although the cause might be different in some cases. I think family values and love plays a strong role in protecting the elderly and weak among us. The society cannot give what you as a member of the family unit has not deemed fit to give.
I know where I am, people are starved of real human connection. People communicate more via their phones that face to face. It is sad to watch. I am fortunate that I live somewhere where there is a lot happening to engage the whole community.
It is really sad when we abandon one another. I hope that we manage t find our way back. Thank you @warpedpoetic xxxxxx
Amin. It is my prayer also
I love how in tune you are with your body and mind. I can't really even begin to think about being 100, it's a difficult thing to ponder but like you, I think I'd be keen to have my 30 year old body too 🦋
Thank you @emma-h, yeah 100 seems like another lifetime really, but one that I am happy to live towards xxxx
Couldn’t agree more. We spend so much time trying to please people that it becomes exhausting. Yes, we can care about others opinion and take them into consideration but we’ve always got to put us first and do what makes us happy.
It’s a shame the world we live in has greatly lost the respect and value for our elders.
Thank you @yahuzah xxx
Love your description
It sounds to me like you play the guitar, or are at least a musician of some sort. I may be wrong. Are you?
It is quite disgusting to see how the young of this age treat adults with disrespect. However, I don't think that's the case over here. Here, we hold our elders in high esteem—most of us, actually. It's like a taboo to be disrespectful to elders here, and everybody knows that. It's basically the culture of Nigerians. There are still some riff-raff, however.
I guess as we all get older, our perspectives take on a much better shape. That's the beauty of aging.
If only people could just embrace who they are, they'd love themselves more.
I place the bodhran, it´s an Irish Drum that you play with a single stick. I also like to sing and play around with my voice.
I hope that more people become more respectful towards each oither, thanks @olujay xxx
Oh, wow. You are a percussionist. I love percussionists. I admire you guys for that ability to interpret time with music through instruments.
I love this one, wish I'd answered it.id definitely have my 30s body haha. I was great in my 40s. 50s harder as parents get ill and more people you know die. Apparently the 60s are pretty good. I'd be happy to freeze time now.
Thank you beautiful, I thought you might relate to this one. I hope you are well xxxxx
Ahhaa...I feel I am so much better nearing to my 50s then what I was at in my 30s. I would even want to wipe off some of those years completely
Exactly, finally we are getting more comfortable. Thank you @nainaztengra, I hope you are well xxxx