Movies and public media, perhaps for perceived marketing reasons, has been mono-focused on the young, shapely and fashionable people, to the exclusion of our challenged and senior population (except for big pharma).
There seem to be a great many people who ignorantly see “aging” as a” disease” These people should be disabused of such an erroneous understanding and perception of reality.
Remember those childlike questions, “Is it soup yet?” After enough years of simmering, it would appear that the “Third Act” of our lives, assuming reasonable health, is a gift–the long awaited soup!
Situational, for most, earlier stages of life seem to present anxieties, school, apprenticeship performance, sexual angst, finances, doubtful self- image and aspirations., It would appear that many, at such stages may seem to define themselves by their perceived weaknesses rather than by their strong points and occasional success …
In the maturing adult, gone are the youthful perceptions and resultant insecurities and fears; their place taken by a more pacific and reasoned image of the self and the world. At times, immediate recall of past events may fade somewhat, but reason and philosophical attributes arrive as a sufficient recompense
An appreciation for living things (as well as history) seems to markedly increase even for people who were always caring of our planet its flora, air and fauna. Grandchildren are a generous recompense for getting older. Those who enjoy the pleasure of reading great novels, understand and identify even more than before, with the literary depiction of humanity, its flaws and aspirations as portrayed by these geniuses. The experience of living shows us filled in blank spaces of which we may have been unaware.
It may be that the most valuable and useful of gifts, the understanding and practice of the appropriate measure of depth and response and depth to stimuli, good or bad; this is a lesson which takes decades to learn.
p
plinyblogdotcom 