Anti-Aging

Getting Old vs. Getting Older By Jeff Herring

I was speaking today at a conference for foster parents, and got into a conversation with a woman who has 9 foster children. I mentioned that she must have a whole lot of energy. She said she just hopes she never gets old.

One the many things that struck me about the conversation was that there is a great deal of difference between getting old and getting older.

Getting old means losing your zest for life . Getting older is going to happen as the years add up. One is inevitable and the other is not.

How to get old

Here are some ways that I have observed in which people can get old:

Hardening of the references - Don’t confuse me with anything new or a different way of looking at things.

Seven last words - The seven last words spoken before someone gets old are

“I’ve always done it this way before.”

Less laughter - I’ve heard it said that we don’t stop laughing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop laughing.

How to get older

Learn from life and it’s experiences - If you are the exact same person as you were 20 years ago, then I would suggest that you have wasted 20 years.

Laugh - Laugh often: at yourself especially.

Learn from those that have gone before - Others have gotten older before us. It amazes me how so often we do not take advantage of the opportunity to “sit at the feet” of those older and wiser.

Grow old or grow older - it’s up to you.

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