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Elder: a senior member of a tribe who has influence or authority
Aging can be a conscious journey into your own lived and experienced Wisdom.
This involves developing the inner resources to adapt to ageing instead of denying it; it is taking a step to ensure that the next phase of life is filled with self-discovery and deliberate choices.
It is expected that around 3 million Baby Boomers will retire from the workforce in the next decade. Life expectancy keeps increasing. After reaching the peak of our careers and our kids having left home, we have decades of life before us for which our culture offers us little preparation and no model. Supported by recent brain research, it argues that increased longevity calls for the development of an expanded consciousness and the evolution of a vital role for Elders that no one else can fill
It recontextualizes ageing as the anticipated fulfillment of life, rather than its inevitable decline. Contemplating the big questions, such as, what has it all meant and what is my purpose? may not yield the answers but helps to clarify our values?
What is important to us from our present perspective?
Old age seems to suffer from a very bad press. Our societies and culture give us very negative images of old age and most of us enter this new phase of life with fear and trembling.
The expectation then is to have declined well being, self respect, fun and think we are no longer useful to our communities.
What is the possibility of passing on our wisdom? Such joy can be had in not only seeding the future, but gives us as elders our worth and transition onward after death from having given our all.
This will not be an easy route as we look at what the great painters and playwrights have used to depict aging, it can be seen to be less than cheerful at times. I look at the cartoons about ageing, the jokes about dementia, and the facebook pictures and not only am I not impressed, but it reminds of the way many decades ago women were always declared a little soft and silly, and had a definite role, that was very circumspect! Oh, my, has that changed!
Old age fills people with more dread than death itself. Our culture worships youth and sees its potential as a pinnacle that begins to decline somewhere in the late 40s to early 50s.
Then old age becomes somewhat of a terminal illness, something to be ashamed of, to hide away from the wonders of young people and not bother them. We then join the redundant, withdrawn, depressed and diminished shuffle. And then wonder why dementia is so prevalent. Who wouldnt want to check out, with that in store?
We try botox and facial surgery to smooth the wrinkles. However they just keep coming back. Creams, potions, lotions, herbs; the anti aging industry makes a fortune on the fears of old age. Personally I have nothing against looking good keeping healthy and using a great diet and exercise and all we know to keep us feeling out best. But I do know it comes to nothing without an internal shift to face squarely what we find so distasteful about growing older.
The suggestion that getting rid of wrinkles somehow makes you a better person is erroneous and doesnt give any of us the chance to get to know just what your body is asking of you. There is a natural step here that when missed doesnt give the opportunity for any of us to learn the lessons of a life and therefore pass those seeds to the next generation.
When we say aging is scary, our children and grand children will see scared and vulnerable older people, instead of integrated Elders with a wealth of wisdom from a life well lived.
Having reached an age of 60, 70 or even 80, isnt this a great success, a result of strength, resourcefulness and being a survivor. This panoramic view of life is where we harvest our story and become the elder.
This is now where we must look at how to find that peace of mind, to be able to move through this exciting new age and all it has to offer. Can nature be wrong? We dont need to go to spas, ranches, retreats to look for peace of mind. Then only to arrive home a week later and find the peace fly out the window as the impact of daily life once again overwhelms and you feel a sense of failure and disappointment. We take ourselves with us where ever we go, and like me you want that joy and peace, having worked hard all your life you now deserve the rest and relaxation you desire! We need competent and caring women and men to show us the potential of old age. We are in desperate need of a new road map
