Grateful for Aging

An aging flower still has beauty. Photo by Theen Moy.

 When I decided to study gerontology five years ago, my intent was to combat aging as a formidable foe.  After 20-30 hours a week focused on the topic of aging, I'm often grateful to be getting older.

This post was a part of a Midlife Boulevard blog hop. I'm saved a handful for future reference. Enjoy! 

Mithra @findernotkeeper writes at The Bubble Joy about her parents hosting large dinners
Kathy @gottgreen writes at SmartLiving365 about reasons (5) people  have for not being grateful. 

Carol @ccassara writes about how to thank others for ill-chosen gifts. 

This Thanksgiving season gives me occasion to explain what I mean.  Let me list the blessings of aging:

I am grateful for four decades plus of experience, which have brought me expertise in a couple of vocations as well as insight from observing myself and many around me.

I am grateful for making the age-related switch from stockpiling information to synthesizing and analyzing that information judiciously based on experience.

I am still grateful that I am still learning more things! I just have more pointed reasons for "uploading content" to my brain.

I am grateful for arthritis that reminds me that I am still alive and that I can still move enough to address the arthritis and enough to improve other body systems: cardiovascular, digestive, neurological.

I am grateful for a torn piriformis muscle in my right groin because it encourages me to have greater body awareness. I was never very athletic until midlife, and having to manage my limitations actually helped me to exceed them in some ways.

I am thankful that a slowing metabolism has encouraged me to join a gym and lift weights.

Even though my figure is much changed from my twenties, I feel more positive about my body because I am spending more time on fitness, trying new activities, and making new friends at the gym.

I am grateful for hypoglycemia because it encouraged me to learn more about healthy eating.

I am grateful that aging skin and hair invite me to focus more on character than appearance.

I am grateful that my aging body and the aging bodies of people broaden my definition of physical attraction.

I am grateful for the losses accrued more rapidly as we age because they invite transcendence and spiritual growth.

I am grateful that I have more friends of diverse age now than any other time in my life: toddlers, teens, young adults, midlife adults, and late life adults.  They all offer me insight about our shared experience as members of the human race.

I am grateful for mortality because it forces me to set priorities and embrace the people, projects and things that are most valuable to me.

And finally,

 I am grateful for living long enough to seek an attitude of gratitude.

I all too often whine about what I perceive as the injustices of life. My research in gerontology indicates that those who strive to show gratitude have better mental health, physical health, and stronger social support systems.

All my best to you during this Thanksgiving season.  I am also thankful for social media that allows me to connect with people all over the English-speaking world so that we can talk about how to meet the challenges of aging so that we can experience the joys.

Related:

My Oft-requested Cranberry Salsa Recipe
Aging: Fight, Resign or Embrace

This post is part of a Midlife Boulevard blog hop.