The older one gets, the reality of aging becomes more and more apparent. Is growing old a curse? Is it a blessing? Why is it that this ever-important question which we wonder about can vacillate between yes and no?

Let’s take a look at this issue more deeply. The older one gets, the more one reflects on the memories of life, some bad and some good. Time seems to have a way of smoothing out the rough spots of life, and as a result it seems more good memories are stored for our retrieval. In fact, thinking about this in depth, that is all we end up with towards the end of our lives…memories. Memories are like a fine wine, aged for our brains to sip ever so carefully, so that we never contaminate the joy those memories bring. It is absolutely wonderful to remember back to those joyful times in our lives that had brought us so much joy and happiness.

Growing old doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t much to live for. Sure, growing old can be a pain in the neck, literally! The aches and pains of age can attack us when we least expect it, but usually first thing in the morning when we get out of bed. Those old injuries that have been sustained during youth have a way of creeping up on us and release all the vengeance they can deliver, and that’s a real drag. But that is what Aleve and other pain medications are for, to dull that pain. Perhaps the practice of Yoga or some other exercise might alleviate those aches and pains, but they never really go away for good. We have to face the facts, age brings bodily pain. But the flip side is the wisdom we have gained from living life, and hopefully living life to the fullest.

Regrets should be something to be avoided. Never do I want to have regrets when the end of my days encroach. My aim has always been to live life to the maximum, and so far that theory has turned out pretty well in practice, but the question still remains, is growing older a curse? No, it isn’t, as long as the life lived has been lived to the best of that persons abilities. It is always easy to Monday-morning-quarterback, but the fact is that nobody can tell what the future is. So the key is to go through life with all the stamina and logic and love and energy our bodies and mind can give, and living to the point of exhaustion means that regrets should be few.

Maybe growing old is a curse, or maybe it’s a blessing? This is something that every one of us needs to answer to our own satisfaction. The truth might lie somewhere in between, and living life to the fullest could very well answer that question for each and every one of us.