Aging is not all bad. There are many positive trade offs. First of all, as experience and knowledge are accumulated, one might hope to have a calmer more balanced way to deal with the challenges of living. Secondly, one accumulates more flexible time to engage in activities outside of work. In my case, having retired, I have taken up the brush and canvas and my imagination spurs works of art that seem to improve significantly as I practice. Thirdly, I get to watch...... really watch my grandchildren grow up. I get to interact and observe. Parents don't generally have the time to do both because they are nurturing, protecting and managing their kids. One day blends into the next and like the frames in a motion picture, adjacent frames (days) don't reveal much change. Before you realize it, the story of childhood is over and you've missed many of the really funny parts, the tender parts, the amazing parts. As a grandparent, you get the scenes interspersed by weeks or months and the changes are evident and the progress of becoming is apparent.
The balance is that age also requires more self maintenance. The most important decision you make as you enjoy your latter years is how you take care of yourself. I maintain by forcing myself (self-discipline) to exercise, lift weights, bend, and generally get active during the day. If you make the decision to become an old couch potato, there will come a day, that the couch is your bed and you can't get off it. I decide to exercise my mind as well, by crossword puzzles, scrabble games, sudoku (only 5 star), go, reading and pondering the subject of my next artwork. Aging is unavoidable, but don't let it imprison you in a non-functional body if you can do anything about it.
Life is making decisions. Don't avoid them. Don't give up to divine intervention. No one stands around waiting to reroute your life and save you. Decide.
