Nature has a course, and takes it

Aging. I’m not a fan. The wrinkles, the loss of vision and hearing, the debilitating aches and pains. I feel so bad for my husband. 🙂

Nah. That’s me too . . . daily dealing with the inevitable deterioration of this physical part of my humanity. 

I don’t like it.

I’ve begun a series of posts examining my current situation as a senior citizen, with the goal of getting a fuller, clearer picture of later-stage life, and with that to better accept and make the most of these “golden” years. And maybe help you do the same. When you get there, that is.

The human body is an incredibly beautiful, complex, amazingly designed creation. What happens in the womb from conception to birth, speed-tracking a single fertilized cell into a fully-formed body with trillions of cells in only nine months is nothing short of miraculous. Growth and change continue after birth but slow down considerably, and at some point growth reaches a limit and reverses course. The body, while it is living, is now dying.

We all know this will happen. This is not news. But when the evidence is staring at you in the mirror, what was once a simple, irrelevant fact is now a very personal, life-altering reality.

Some people stubbornly resist nature’s degenerative decline, digging in their heels all the way down. They change their diet, search out anti-aging remedies, work out more, or get “work” done. Not me. I’ve always like the concept of growing old gracefully. I admire the celebrities who eschew plastic surgery when things start to sag, preferring instead to be authentic and let nature take its course.

But growing old gracefully doesn’t mean I’m happy about the effects of age and gravity on my appearance. My husband’s even less happy about it. Actually, it doesn’t seem to bother him. And he has a mirror too.

The deterioration happening inside our bodies is of greater concern, particularly in the brain. I used to be able to respond quickly and correctly to about half the “answers” on Jeopardy. Now I can barely beat the contestant on a quarter or less. I may know it but I can’t recall it in time.

A lot of learned facts and memories get buried when one is on the downward slope of life. This can be frustrating, not only for you but also the people who live with you. I’m learning to see it as an opportunity to practice patience, kindness, and grace.

To be continued. Because though the aging brain can hinder recall, there’s no such thing as an aging mind.