I Emerge Victorious: Part II: Are we Better with Age?
Piggy-backing on the post below about emerging victorious, I wanted to share something that I just saw while on the tred-mill and tie it into this notion of emerging victoriously.
Matt Lauer had an segment about the Rolling Stones and their new tour. During this segment, there with a clip from one of the performances by the Stones. Right before my eyes, I saw the gyrating hips and unbridled energy of the now 61 year old, wrinkled, aged, but gloriously happy, Mick Jaggers. He was still having fun with his art and his music, but most of all, he seemed to have achieved a kind of inner strength, peace and tranquility with who he is today and what his music is all about. This peace of mind and happiness was written on every line on his face and body.
Look at Jane Fonda, now in her 60s, just writing a new book, with her life's journey exposed, concluding that she is not the same person she was before. At least we not mention the powerful and successful Oprah who claims that turning 50 was one of the best times of her life.
Despite all the aches pains, and changes that our bodies may experience, there seems to be significantly something better about people who have learned to define themselves and work from the inside out. These individuals, it seems, have emerged victoriously and proudly so.
Neither Mick Jagger nor Keith Richards have had any cosmetic surgery, but appear ever so glorious on stage, wrinkles and all. I want to be like them when I am in my 60s!!
To me the question as to whether we become better with age is directly tied into how much we have worked on ourselves from the inside out. We are such a self-obsessed society, defining ourselves with how we look on the outside and present to the world. But being better with age is truly not just about looking good, in my opinon, on the outside. I am not fault free in this department: I can become very caught up in how I look, smell and present to the outside world!
Do we know the meaning of self-honestly, and do we practice that principle in all of our affairs? Do we know when it is better to stay silent rather than speak? Can we tell others we are sorry and truly mean it, changing our behavior as a result and doing the work necessary to bring peace of mind to ourselves? To me, these are the areas of inquiry, and important questions, at least in my life, that make me conclude that, yes, I am better with age!
Thank you for your minds.
Matt Lauer had an segment about the Rolling Stones and their new tour. During this segment, there with a clip from one of the performances by the Stones. Right before my eyes, I saw the gyrating hips and unbridled energy of the now 61 year old, wrinkled, aged, but gloriously happy, Mick Jaggers. He was still having fun with his art and his music, but most of all, he seemed to have achieved a kind of inner strength, peace and tranquility with who he is today and what his music is all about. This peace of mind and happiness was written on every line on his face and body.
Look at Jane Fonda, now in her 60s, just writing a new book, with her life's journey exposed, concluding that she is not the same person she was before. At least we not mention the powerful and successful Oprah who claims that turning 50 was one of the best times of her life.
Despite all the aches pains, and changes that our bodies may experience, there seems to be significantly something better about people who have learned to define themselves and work from the inside out. These individuals, it seems, have emerged victoriously and proudly so.
Neither Mick Jagger nor Keith Richards have had any cosmetic surgery, but appear ever so glorious on stage, wrinkles and all. I want to be like them when I am in my 60s!!
To me the question as to whether we become better with age is directly tied into how much we have worked on ourselves from the inside out. We are such a self-obsessed society, defining ourselves with how we look on the outside and present to the world. But being better with age is truly not just about looking good, in my opinon, on the outside. I am not fault free in this department: I can become very caught up in how I look, smell and present to the outside world!
Do we know the meaning of self-honestly, and do we practice that principle in all of our affairs? Do we know when it is better to stay silent rather than speak? Can we tell others we are sorry and truly mean it, changing our behavior as a result and doing the work necessary to bring peace of mind to ourselves? To me, these are the areas of inquiry, and important questions, at least in my life, that make me conclude that, yes, I am better with age!
Thank you for your minds.
8 Comments:
Very cool, Barbara. This is a subject near and dear to my heart.
If all we care about is our physical selves, then yes, aging is a bad thing. But if what's important is inside, aging is a very positive thing.
As I get older, I know more who I am, I understand more what I want out of life, and how best to achieve it. Like a lot of people, I learned to cut down on the bullshit and the distractions and to focus on what's really important to me.
Next month I celebrate my 44th birthday, and my mom celebrates her 74th - and there's not an age either of us would go back to even if we could. (My mom is such a great model of aging for me!)
Also, aging is another word for still being alive. So many people never make it that far (to whatever age). I feel lucky to be here.
Plus you reminded me I wanted to blog about the Stones being in NYC yesterday. Thanks!
What L-girl said about "there's not an age either of us would go back to even if we could." regarding herself and her mother, is true for me too. But there are ages that I would enjoy looking as if I were.
I know that your point is that we should judge ourselves by what we are on the inside, and not the look we present to the world. I aspire to feel that way. But in fact I would enjoy looking younger. I'm in my 60's, and I must say, I DO look better than any of the Stones!
Am I a better person than I used to be? I truly believe that I am. But I guess the people around me are the judges of that.
Well, I am adding tan lucy paz to my list of someone to whom I aspire to look like at 60!
1-girl...I love your comments, and am so happy that we can exchange our stories as well.
I'm 41 and I believe I have many wonderful years ahead. People usually look back and pine for the days of youth and miss out on all that's wonderful later in life. I'm anticipating a lot of joy and surprises. Life throws us a lot of pain too, so it's important to suck all the marrow out of the good times.
its'a bit of a trade-off isn't it? i love feeling more grounded in who i am, but i'd still take the 19 year old butt and boobs if i could!
I'm 36 and I can honestly say I wouldn't trade my current level of wisdom for my reckless youth at any price. I grow and change continually and I like myself more each and every day.
My youth was dominated by internal conflict and intense feelings of isolation (probably like most people.) The peace I feel now, within myself and as I relate to the world is totally worth the aches and pains, the droopy boobs and the feet that have grown two sizes.
I know I still have a lot to learn and I look forward to each new challenge as it comes my way.
Barbara,
I am definitely a better person today! And I agree that self-work is the key to growing with age. Many things in my past could have resulted in my developing into a truly horrible person. I have worked hard to get through things and extract every drop of wisdom and insight from my experiences, to ensure that I don't perpetuate the cycle in the future. Not that I'm an angel now, but when I think about how I could have turned out... *shudders*
I personally believe that we're here to learn and grow, which is why I try as hard as I do to be open to others' ideas and opinions. There's no way of knowing what someone may teach me - directly or indirectly - until later on. And people I would have written off in my past, who I have forced myself to deal with as an adult, have truly given me valuable insights, and a few have actually become friends and supporters!
Thanks for a truly thought-provoking post!
Thank you all for your beautifl and inspirational thoughts.
Learning lessons, and changing our behavior as a result, are truly what can make our lives different.
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