Aging with grace – Two questions you should ask yourself
1) Without title, position, children to care for, and a long to-do list, would I truly be content with who I am?
2) How do I treat people who are aging?
Let’s face it, western culture has made a habit of discarding the value of anyone over 65. My 16 year- old son informed me that the age is actually 50 (That hurts, isn’t 50 the new 30?). In our society, value is achieved by youth, beauty, title, and status. So is influence.
When we are younger, we strive to achieve and impress, never taking into consideration that one day, it is possible no one will care what we have to say.
A cold reality this picture paints.
But what if we did something about it.
What if you and I changed our perspective about aging? First, about ourselves and second about the value and insight that older generations can contribute to our lives.
What we can do:
1) Teach our kids to honor people of mature age. I have dedicated hours, months, and years in teaching my boys sports and educating them to get into to the finest colleges, but how much time have I spent teaching them to value human life and adult wisdom? Befriend an elderly neighbor, spend more time with your parents. It will take time and sacrifice but it will be worth it.
2) Seek to be mentored by someone who is older than you.
3) Pivot your thinking about what you will contribute in your golden years. Contributing to the betterment of the world does not end because you decide to retire. Giving and participating in life is what keeps the soul alive.
Since my 16 year-old son was obviously opinionated about aging, I asked him if he had an answer for the question – What can we do to change our perspective about aging? Without missing a beat, he said: Have a mid-life crisis. When I asked him to define midlife crisis, here is what he said:
4) Find purpose. QUESTION EVERYTHING about your life and ask WHY.
My son is pretty smart for 16. A midlife crisis is not about divorcing your spouse or purchasing a fast car. A midlife crisis is about finding out who you are and discovering that life is not about what you do.
In closing, I want to remind you of a relevant quote I posted in my blog titled: What is more important – What you do or who you become…my Ivy League experience
“The most important thing about a man, is not what he does, it is who he becomes.” ~Dallas Willard
Do you need more resources after reading, Aging with grace – Two questions you should ask yourself?
No problem, keep reading!
LEADER’S HANGOUT
Join me for our FREE ONLINE Leader’s Hangout on May 18th at 12:00 PDT with guest, Cyndi Pollard – Bi-vocational Minister, Executive Director Canterbury Park/A Koelsch Senior Community, and Speaker.
Topic: Aging with Grace: A Conversation for Senior Citizens and those that love them
Watch LIVE or LATER at: WMHANGOUT.COM
COMMUNITY & COACHING
Are you struggling with the question: Without title, position, children to care for, and a long to-do list, would I truly be content with who I am? If you are, join our community conversation in the comments below or check out my coaching page.
In life and leadership,
Angela Craig
PS: If you found this blog helpful or encouraging, it would be the greatest complement to me if you shared it on your social networks. Thank you for helping build our community!
Joyce Williams
May 11, 2015This was very insightful. I am working with my aging (80’s) parents who have been intensely active in church and service their entire lives. But now due to failing eyesight and unsteadiness along with beginning dementia, they are frustrated with their challenges and with each other, puzzled that God would waste them in such uselessness, and feel so lacking in significance. They spend hours every day praying for each of us (their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren) by name and regarding specific details–but no matter how often we thank them, expressing deep and truly sincere gratitude, they discount it and fret because they cannot be “doing something.” I have been “taking a lesson”–all God wants is our complete surrender, praise and rejoicing in WHATEVER path He chooses for us. Again, thanks.
Angela L Craig
May 11, 2015Thank you for sharing your story Joyce. Your parents desire to be useful to their last days touches me dearly. I want to share a story with you. My husband and I thought we were first generation Christians until a family member told me about my great grandmother. The family member told me that when my grandmother was a little girl, my GG would hold prayer meetings in her home weekly (sometimes praying late into the night for others). My GG’s specific call to prayer was that all future generations of her family would know Christ. I am the recipient of her prayers being answered. I have no doubt. This is precious to me. I look forward to the day that your parents reap the benefit of their “prayer labor” when they sit next to Jesus and see all the unanswered prayers fulfilled. How cool with that be!!