Aging

The above has occupied my mind a lot recently, partly as a result of reading How To Age by Anne Karpf. Instead of being anti-aging she maps out a different approach and “recognises that ageing is part of the human condition, an important process that has to be acknowledged and accepted in order for us to live our lives as fully as possible, but should not be the prism through which we view ourselves or others.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtPwObOau0M

A friend of mine was fond of the saying, “Old age is better than the alternative”. I’d like to think aging can be great and interesting and creative not just better than being dead. I am not interested in botox, being unwilling to say how old I am (58) or spending huge sums of money on anti aging potions. I saw in big letters on the  beauty clinic  in Mairangi Bay, something along the lines of, “There’s nothing funny about my smile lines.” I find this sad and ridiculous.

I am more aligned to Cicero who said, “The great affairs of life are not performed by physical strength, or activity, or nimbleness of body, but  by deliberation, character, expression of opinion. Of these old age is not only not deprived but, as a rule, has them in greater degree.”

The British politician Denis Healey  found that,“I have lost all my interest in power and position and no longer worry about making money.”

I worry about not having enough money but I’m not yet sure what “enough” is. I now have lots of time and no money whereas before I had plenty of money but no time. I know that I want to go to loads of films in the film festival and at least they are cheaper during the day and I can now go to them. Only 2 more years and I get the old person’s rate 🙂 I also know I want time over money.

I have no ambition or desire for power at all. I don’t want to be defined by my occupation. (not that I ever had that much!)

What about you? What are your views about aging?

I wrote the poem below when I saw this woman in the street:

“She’s 67 if she’s a day”

She wears a bright red coat

to match her lipstick.

Her new found love

has her glowing

coat-coloured.

Below is the link to a very interesting short film about dying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2eUw0CUuMc&feature=kp

In “When I Die” Philip Gould shares his thoughts and insights as he confronts his impending death from oesophageal cancer. How do we approach death whilst embracing life? How can we change the conversation around death and palliative care for the terminally ill? Please share this film and join the conversation #WhenIDie. Philip believed that for the terminally ill and those close to them, there can be moments of joy, resolution and inspiration just as intense as those of fear, discomfort and sadness.

Filmed during the last 2 weeks of Philip’s life, this intimate portrait reveals his quest to find purpose and meaning in what he called “The Death Zone”. He had been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in 2008 and was given three months to live in the summer of 2011.

Hey ho, cheerful subject-would like to hear from others. FG