The Dark Side of Aging

Our days are numbered. This is not a revelation; one of the realities of retirement and aging is that we are more aware of the horizon. It’s an uncomfortable topic for some people, but there are fewer and fewer ‘unexamined lives’ as we move down the road of life, or whatever euphemism you want to use.

This Huffington Post article offers good perspective on that journey. It was written by an 82 year-old former Superintendent of Schools who has taken retirement hard. It is a somber read, but his perspective is particularly sharp.

He talks about the emotional, mental and physical aspects of aging, with an educator’s clear-eyed look at how the changes affect quality of life. Failing health is a fact of aging.  “For decades, I've believed "age is about attitude not chronology. But it's difficult maintaining a youthful attitude when you can't get out of bed, or are losing your eyesight…”.

None of this is new, but it underlines the need to take a pragmatic look at the pathway ahead (there’s one of those pesky euphemisms again].

Slightly more upbeat is this Washington Post article that outlines some of the strategies for ‘aging gracefully’, so that you have energy and vitality as you grow older. It’s a good reminder of the importance of knowing what’s good for you, and what might be subverting your health and well-being.

Tom New