“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
The other day I was thinking why are we so obsessed with living a long life, rather than living the good life. We refuse to grow old, as we should. The obscene word is anti-aging. Today there are so many products and treatments which claim that they can reduce, repair, erase, tighten and even reconstruct any part of your aging body.
“Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.” – Redd Foxx
I came across this article in Men’s Health , “5 Ways to Add 22 Years to Your Life.” What it suggests is eat raw vegetables, reduce excess body fat, munch walnuts, have friends, and have a positive outlook on the aging process.
Then there are those who say that you can add six years to your life span by flossing. Plus other anti-aging tips which includes drinking green or black tea, a good roll in the sack, believe in God, or simply be happy.
I am sure you agree with me that the old folks whom you know or see in your neighborhood are frail-looking, blotched with untidy liver spots, wobble around like a struggling toddler or worst, bed or wheelchair ridden for life. You call that golden years or forgotten years? Twilight years is a better word.
To put it bluntly, these old folks are just hanging in there, waiting for D-day. If we all can live to be old, we will be just the same. It sounds sad and scary too. As they say, no one can get out alive. We all are heading the same direction.
“There’s lots of people in this world who spend so much time watching their health that they haven’t the time to enjoy it.” – Josh Billings
I agree that we all should be eating well and exercise regularly so that we can be healthy to get on with our life each day and age well. But I feel that generally we all are too busy trying to add more years to their lives, rather than to add more life to our unpredictable lives. Remember, no amount of face-lift can lift your sagging soul.
Some very important life lessons, I have learned as I aged, are: I am still in charge of my life, be resilient to keep you up and living, forget about being a perfectionist or a minimalist, live life to the fullest with no regrets and make sure that any day is a good day to die.
“Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made.” Wayne Dyer
So start living a good life in the present. Choose to live each day like a new beginning, fill it with laughter, keep your dream alive, be enthusiastic and have a funny and positive outlook on life. So that, if you were to die today, you don’t die in vain or full of regrets.
“Live Your Life Like You’ll Die Tomorrow, And Dream Like You’ll Live Forever.”