Do you want to live forever, remain forever young?
When we young we can't wait to grow up and be ADULTS... When we get there we all want to hit the rewind button and reverse the march of time to a time when there was less responsibilities to be met and more fun to be had.
I can't say I enjoyed my teens or my 20's. Various reasons. I was an awkward. shy teenager always on the fringes with super protective parents (for which I am now very thankful). My early 20's were spent in an unhappy marriage, constantly relocating and mom to 2 small kids, my 2nd half of my 20's as a single mom trying to get back into the workplace while juggling huge responsibilities and decisions on my own. Turning 30 wasn't bad, in fact I looked forward to. I felt I would be taken more seriously than I had up to that point.
33 - a brutal birthday..... I realised I was 7 years away 40.. I was mom to a 12 year old... the teen years nearly upon me... and I couldn't figure out where the last 15 years between 18 and 33 had gone. Looking back now I'm damn glad they were gone!
I will be 38 this year... still got a couple years until the next big birthday but I'm actually looking forward to it. I don't feel 37... having been a young mom means I still get to enjoy a slightly extended youth through my boys. However I get to enjoy it with the benefit of knowledge. Of course according to my teenage sons I know nothing but that's ok.. they'll get to where I'm at one day too. Yes there are a few extra aches and pains in the body, weight is not so easy to shift, some wrinkles creeping in, eyesight not so sharp, couple grey hairs....
I'm a firm believer in that even if you are robustly healthy and strong your best years are up to around the ages of between 70-75... after that no matter how sharp the mind 90% of people will have their bodies fail on them. It isn't really a life... so why do people want to extend their lives so desperately? Do I want to become that old - no way in hell thanks. My grandfather lived to 91 or 92... mind sharper than mine.. played his horses and knew exactly what his winnings were right up until his death... but his body was too frail for him to move. I don't want that life for myself or for my loved ones.
So no I don't want to live forever.
I also don't want to remain forever young.
Growing older has its benefits. Yes you may have wrinkles, grey hairs, not be able to move as quickly or be as spontaneous in a lot of areas of your life, but what you lose in the physical you gain in the experiences of life. I wouldn't trade those experiences for all the smooth skin in the world.
I love the woman I'm becoming. It's taken me 20 years to even start understanding her but now that I do I know she is strong, feisty, independent, funny, witty, loving, caring. I have fears, insecurities, doubts ... but its ok because I like who I am and that is more important than worrying about anyone else's opinion.
When we young we can't wait to grow up and be ADULTS... When we get there we all want to hit the rewind button and reverse the march of time to a time when there was less responsibilities to be met and more fun to be had.
I can't say I enjoyed my teens or my 20's. Various reasons. I was an awkward. shy teenager always on the fringes with super protective parents (for which I am now very thankful). My early 20's were spent in an unhappy marriage, constantly relocating and mom to 2 small kids, my 2nd half of my 20's as a single mom trying to get back into the workplace while juggling huge responsibilities and decisions on my own. Turning 30 wasn't bad, in fact I looked forward to. I felt I would be taken more seriously than I had up to that point.
33 - a brutal birthday..... I realised I was 7 years away 40.. I was mom to a 12 year old... the teen years nearly upon me... and I couldn't figure out where the last 15 years between 18 and 33 had gone. Looking back now I'm damn glad they were gone!
I will be 38 this year... still got a couple years until the next big birthday but I'm actually looking forward to it. I don't feel 37... having been a young mom means I still get to enjoy a slightly extended youth through my boys. However I get to enjoy it with the benefit of knowledge. Of course according to my teenage sons I know nothing but that's ok.. they'll get to where I'm at one day too. Yes there are a few extra aches and pains in the body, weight is not so easy to shift, some wrinkles creeping in, eyesight not so sharp, couple grey hairs....
I'm a firm believer in that even if you are robustly healthy and strong your best years are up to around the ages of between 70-75... after that no matter how sharp the mind 90% of people will have their bodies fail on them. It isn't really a life... so why do people want to extend their lives so desperately? Do I want to become that old - no way in hell thanks. My grandfather lived to 91 or 92... mind sharper than mine.. played his horses and knew exactly what his winnings were right up until his death... but his body was too frail for him to move. I don't want that life for myself or for my loved ones.
So no I don't want to live forever.
I also don't want to remain forever young.
Growing older has its benefits. Yes you may have wrinkles, grey hairs, not be able to move as quickly or be as spontaneous in a lot of areas of your life, but what you lose in the physical you gain in the experiences of life. I wouldn't trade those experiences for all the smooth skin in the world.
I love the woman I'm becoming. It's taken me 20 years to even start understanding her but now that I do I know she is strong, feisty, independent, funny, witty, loving, caring. I have fears, insecurities, doubts ... but its ok because I like who I am and that is more important than worrying about anyone else's opinion.