Understanding Aging[i]
Several
weeks ago I came upon a very interesting database. While it is not quite at the
level of Psych Info et all, it does provide a lot of information gathered from
younger adults working their way through the research exploring we humans. As usual when you see quotation marks,
I will be sighting the article directly.
The title of the article is Old Age Rough and it’s only on page long.
About
an hour before I began creating this post one of my sons called me as he
usually does every day or so. He reminded me that his birthday is coming
up. He will be forty-six. I asked him how he felt about it. He said he was starting to be an older
person. We didn’t talk much more
about that but we will when I meet with at the end of next week. One of the first thoughts I had was,
how do I feel about my aging; I’m now seventy-three.
“The
Aging of our bodies, at the cellular level, is an inevitable process, however
the rate of aging varies from person to person. Family history, genetics, and lifestyle all play a part in
how fast or how slow our body and subsequently our brains begin to decline. …
There are obviously external factors that have impact on our bodies;
environment in which we live, career we have chosen, and actions of other people,
to name a few.”
The
article goes on to site the work of Erick Eriksson who “…that emotional
wellness could be summed up by determined which side of the Integrity versus
despair, one falls.”
In summary
“The overall combined effect of emotional, physical, social and environmental
impact on the development of the elderly creates a varied experience among
those is late adulthood. Genetics,
neurological health, perceived lifespan accomplishments, and environment all
determine how we deal with the process of aging.”
I
think this description should help those of us combating the prejudice of
ageism. Whether or not it’s
positive or negative ageism this form off thinking things through will help us
long with wisdom, integrity and happiness.
This also
reminds me of the Beatles’ song “Who Wants To Live Forever?”
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