On Aging



When I was in junior high, our typing teacher had us cover the keyboard so that we would memorize the letters’ key arrangement.  He must have had us saying the letters to ourselves, because TO THIS DAY when I go to spell a word, occasionally I find my fingers silently moving according to the letters on my keyboard.  I do this out of habit, so you probably wouldn’t notice it.  I barely do anymore.

Teachers definitely have a lifelong impact on their students!

In addition to my “air” typing, I am concerned because I have to recall so many passwords throughout the day.  I expect one day they are all just going to get jumbled up in one big mess and eventually, when I no longer need them, I will probably still have them running through my brain, for no apparent reason.  I wonder if I will start reciting this mixed up mess out loud.

Whoever takes care of me when I am old may find my curious ways, well, curious.  I know there will be a good reason for them, but nobody else probably will.

Facing aging can be a challenging thing.  Our bodies sometimes turn against us in unexpected ways, in ways we have little control over.  I said to my husband just the other day, “When did I have to start paying attention to how I go up and down stairs? To think about my movements?  When did that happen?”  Seems like overnight I had to start paying more attention to my movements.  Never had to do that when I was twenty.

I read an interesting article that talked about how to handle this sort of stuff, and they said people should not compare themselves to how they were when they were younger.  A helpful way to gracefully age is to accept what comes at you and do the best you can to take care of yourself.

But most importantly, a different *article, had this key advice:

“Continue to find meaning later in life.”

"Part of the challenge of aging gracefully is that you have to continue to find things that are important to you.”  Illinois psychologist Mark Frazier, PsyD

“Without meaningful goals, "You get into this whole attitude of 'Oh, my gosh, this woes me. My memory's going, I'm slow, all I do is go to wakes and funerals . . . If you don't have important things out in front of you, there's enough about the aging process that is not positive and you can get caught up in what you don't like about it."  Mark Frazier, PsyD

The fact is, everyone ages, and the question is, “How are you going to handle it?”

In all of this, it is key to remember that every single person has dignity because they are made in the image and likeness of God, so no matter how limited they may become due to aging (or otherwise), we have a responsibility to love and care for them without regard to their ability to contribute or make any kind of a return.  We must love unconditionally.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.blogspot.com
janetcassidy.blubrry.net

* Link to article

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