Wednesday, July 21, 2010

ABOUT AGE & AGING


Three years ago, soon after beginning this Penless Writer blog, I wrote a post entitled IN THIS SKIN about my view of aging. A number of months ago a blog friend suggested I re-post that writing. Since it is one that I have on my side-bar I felt like most everyone who reads this blog had probably already read it and so did not.

Lately I've had quite a few people who know me in REAL life, as well as in this magic Blogland, comment on how young acting I am and how they forget how "old" I really am!!!! I'd been thinking about this quite a bit lately and then a few days ago I was going through some old quotes that I have, love and treasure, and stumbled on this one:

"Youth is not entirely a time of life; it is a state of mind. Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old by deserting their ideals. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair." Douglas MacArthur


Three years ago, when I wrote the IN THIS SKIN post I was 69 years young. Now I am 72 years young! and I believe both what I wrote then and this wonderful quote by McArthur even more today than ever.

This aging process, this growing older, this journey through life, truly is so very much about our attitudes, our outlook, our view of life, and most importantly our view of our eternal home and where we are going than it is the mere passing of these 365 days a year, year after year.

So for all of you many out there who are so much younger chronologically than I am please be assured......growing older is not bad at all!!!!

To close with another great Douglas MacArthur quote:

"In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber. So long as it receives a message of beauty, hope, cheer and courage - so long are you young. When the wires are all down and our heart is covered with the snow of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then, and only then, are you grown old."

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10 comments:

Sharon said...

Susan, this was a wonderful post today. I never thought about aging in this way.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
have a blessed Wednesday.

Mari said...

I went and read that post again. It was a good one - you share so much wisdom!

Betty W said...

How very true! Attitude is everything. Great post Susan.

I wrote about aging today today, but in a different sense. How to cope with aging parents.

Brenda said...

I can honestly say as I'm approaching 50 that aging doesn't bother me...too much. Rejoicing in each day the Lord has given me, helps me to stay focused on the present and not on the way things used to be. Those things being physical, spiritual, emotional etc.

Roxanne said...

Oh, that is wonderful, thank you for sharing. I admire you. We are never too old to learn new things, like the computer, are we???

Cheryl @ TFD said...

As someone who has passed the 60 yr. young mark, I thought this was a great post! ~Cheryl

Momma Roar said...

It's too bad society doesn't seem age through the same lens as MacArthur.

You are a beautiful person Susan - inside and out! :)

Tea said...

Susan, it's beautifully written.

Shirley said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog - you weren't ranting. And, I agree, there are definitely 4 fingers pointing back at me, too.

Barbara said...

Alan who is almost 79 has always told people "it's just a number".