A few hours ago I spoke with a friend on the phone. We had a great conversation about healthy living, our belief systems about our bodies, our abilities at any age, and the power our minds hold over changing the way we live.
Somehow our society cultivates a belief that once we reach a certain age, our capabilities diminish. Mental capacity, physical agility, as we age, everything about our being changes. Working in a medical setting I know that some of this is true, but I also realize that we are largely responsible for the vitality or arrest of ourselves. Who makes these rules anyway? I know there is some science to back up symptoms of aging. On the other hand, I have encountered 70 year olds who are very fit, and 30 year olds who are on the verge of heart failure. Honestly, I live a much healthier life now than I did at 21. There are exceptions to every rule. So, who are the anomalies and what make them go against the norm?
I saw a patient in therapy a couple of years ago who was in her 90s. She could no longer swallow. She was weak, has been ill, had a feeding tube, and stayed in bed most of the day. She was asking for water, food, typical things that would be missed if after nearly a century they were suddenly taken away. I was the swallowing specialist; so, what could it hurt if I tried? Her family had no hope, but this woman told me from day one that she was sure she could eat and drink if someone would just give her a chance. Disheartened by her horrible quality of life I decided to give therapy a shot. We worked together, she began drinking water again, then food came. She refused to accept that 90 was the age for her to give up. She believed that she could do it again, and with a little help she did.
Wouldn't it be nice if we could reframe our view of what aging should be? Should it include losing something as basic as food and water? Wouldn't it be nice if everyone had the philosophy of being able to do anything you set your mind to. We could look at each year of life as an opportunity to outdo our previous selves. I would love to see us serve as inspiration to those aging around us to thrive, and live their most fulfilled life right now. Seriously, we aren't kidding anyone. We are all "aging." Maybe it would be better stated as we are all "living". It is really that simple.
If we believe we are getting older then guess what, old it is. If we hold the perception that our bodies, our brains are breaking down then guess what happens. Just like my patient who knew that path was not the one for her. She believed she could change direction, so her last years were more pleasant and fulfilling. We can do the same. Imagine if every person on this Earth chose to "live" instead of "age" what a different world it could be. Do we simply grow old, or do we live amazing adventures and make the most of each day, month, year, decade? They pass by quickly. You make the choice.
I love the simple concept of living instead of aging. Age is just a number. What's more important is what you're doing with that number. I feel it would be much easier for women to age if we could break the cultural spell that our worth is measured by our youth and beauty. We have much more value than the way this vehicle, the body, looks. Physical function and health is much more valuable but often we don't realize that until it's a bit late.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be cool if age and wisdom entered cool status? I'd love to see a marketing campaign on that one.