It is difficult to espouse the virtues of growing old when most of the time, negatives far outweigh the positives; for many, aging is definitely a curse. If growing old was a blessing, many plastic surgeons would be out of work, and advertising/marketing industries would be catering to the old rather than the young.

Dependency and reliance on others to help maintain a normal day-to-day existence is a fear many people have of growing old. Worse still is losing one’s physical mobility, being laid up in bed, or being housebound. The biggest curse of growing old is losing control of one’s bodily functions. Old age gets blamed for everything physical and mental complaint, with  “growing old” constantly getting a bum rap. These days, dying in one’s sleep is a luxury many people would like to have. Instead, older people can look forward to inheriting one of many modern diseases: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and dreaded cancer.

On the positive side, growing old has benefits, if all the parameters are in place. Some establishments offer a free cup of coffee when one has attained senior citizenry; discounts for senior citizens are always welcomed when growing old. Discounts give status and a certain respect to an aging population. Aging is a blessing if you still have your own teeth, a head of hair, can still chew and move about. The young may look upon this as being silly or dry humor, but these are the realities of life. What was taken for granted in youth is now a mainstay of growing old.

Along the same lines, aging is a blessing as long one still has his/her mate by their side. If one should predecease the other, growing old can be lonesome. Stories abound of lovers and soul mates who die within hours or days of their spouse’s death, no specific cause, but perhaps of a broken heart.

Growing old and having achieved peace of mind can be considered an accomplishment. Acceptance that life does not always run smoothly, that there will definitely be obstacles, upheaval, and pain along the way, greatly prepares a person for growing old. Life experiences are supposed to be passed on to the young. Unfortunately, the young do not always want sage advice; they know it all.

Growing old is a blessing if you have enough money to enjoy life, and you don’t need to struggle financially. Tales of buying proverbial cans of cat food are no laughing matter when it comes to aging and money. Aging is also wonderful if you still have the vitality and energy to keep on working, mixing and co-mingling with the outside world; having something to look forward to at the start of every day is a blessing.

If you are part of an Asian society, old age is revered and respected, as the elderly are treated with respect and dignity. Along those lines, growing old is a blessing. It is also a blessing to brag about how many grandchildren, great-grandchildren one may have. This writer loves hearing stories of centenarians who attribute their longevity to having that one thing that gives them joy in life, whether is a favorite food/cigar/drink, or even sex.

They say age is only a number, but longevity has to include some quality of life. Just look at Hugh Hefner who surrounds himself with beauty and youth. Or George Burns, who when alive, sported a cigar in his mouth, and a smile on his face. These people do look like they’re having fun. It seems they have found the “Joie de vivre” (joy of life or enjoyment of living).

Growing old is about discovering new things, and revisiting the old ones. Anyone who writes, whether it’s in a daily journal or content articles, this penchant towards using one’s mind helps keep it vital. If that doesn’t work, there are always mind games like Sudoku to keep an agile young mind thriving.