Why Would You Want to Be 35 for 200 Years?
I was at my sister’s swimming pool yesterday talking to her neighbor, Sara, and Sara’s mother, Elizabeth. I just met Elizabeth last year, and only saw her once. So when I saw her at the pool, I thought, “Oh, that must be Sara’s mother…no, wait, she’s too young to be Sara’s mother. Maybe it’s her sister.”
Then Sara came over to say hello to me and pointed to her mother. I said, “She looks too young to be your mother!”
And then Sara told me she was 60. I said, “Oh, she’s younger than me.” And Sara nodded with a smile, probably because she was thinking how we were both members of the Younger Than 60 look.
Later, I asked Elizabeth how she keeps her youthfulness. She said she believes it’s all in the mind. I agreed. Age doesn’t matter…
I told her about my visit to the hairdresser last week. As Jasmine examined my hair to determine what she was going to do, I nervously asked her if there was less hair than last time (the last time I was there was last year, because I can only afford her once in awhile.) She said, “No, actually there’s more! Keep doing what you’re doing.”
Then she wanted to know what I did. I said, “The only thing I’ve been doing is using my mind to make it grow more! But I’ve been too polite, asking my body to please grow more hair, thank you. I have to learn how to be more commanding.”
She smiled and said, “You’re such a funny little darling.”
Then I said to Elizabeth, “That’s not all. I have decided that I want to be as young as 35 for a hundred years!”
She frowned and said, “But why? I’m happy to be what I am. Why would I want to be younger than 60? And would you really want to live to 100?”
I said, “Yes, if I could be as youthful and energetic and healthy as 35. In fact, if I could remain healthy and youthful, I wouldn’t mind living to 200! I want to continue to look good and feel good and be able to do everything I’ve always been able to do. I don’t want my body to degenerate, I want it to rejuvenate!”
And with this statement, I meant every part of my body, including my brain. Avoiding physical degeneration of the brain, and rejuvenating it allows the mind to grow wiser as it gets older. In my view, that is the greatest asset of aging, so I wouldn’t want to hold that back. The memories and lessons learned make a person so much more valuable and life more meaningful.
I agreed with Elizabeth about being happy with where we are right now, though. I do agree that appreciating the present moment is the most important thing of all.
Well, Elizabeth wasn’t changing her mind. She said, “The one thing I’ve always said is that I don’t want to outlive my children! Would you?”
No, that is an awful thought. In fact, my sister had said, “But no one else would be alive and you would be all alone!”
It is such a sorrowful thought. But should that make me want to die sooner? That’s another depressing thought.
I have heard one woman say, “I want to die by the time I’m 70 so that I don’t have to get too old and sick and decrepit.”
I’ve heard many other women say that they don’t want to look younger, they just want to look better at the age they’re at. I wouldn’t mind clear and firm skin, thick and full hair, and a body in great shape. Why would I want to allow these things to degenerate into what people envision women of a certain age to look like generally?
Today women are rebelling against old stereotypes that say they are too old to do, be or wear this, that or another thing. As women age today, many are showing how healthy, joyful, sexy and able they are to do, be and wear whatever they want.
How about you? What do you think? How long do you want to live? What do you want to look like as time goes by? What do you want for yourself in the future: A rest, a new hobby or goal? Do you have a short or long bucket list? Let us know in the comments below!
Like this post? You might also like to read: “How to Find Meaning and Happiness in Your Life“.
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Great post Angie and sentiment. I’m with you and thank you for sharing the Revolution.