February 24th, 2010 by sushitune

Growing old gracefully is next to impossible for most Baby Boomers.  We talk of the mountains we climbed, the seas we crossed, and the charm we used to bless the opposite or (ahem) same sex with.  We sound, in frank terms, old and stale.

In other words, we are beyond midlife crisis and, rather than pretend we can run marathons or blaze new trails, we do a lot of talking in the “I used to be” mode, as if “I  used to be…” could pay the mortgage or give our life more meaning in the present moment.

How can we live with grace and charm despite our sagging guts and tired breasts?  By growing comfortable with the aging process.  It truly is not the number of years you live, but how you live out your years.

Nobody gives a damn about the past, unless the past can be bridged with the present and the future. Rocking chair musings can be fascinating if, and only if, they have life lessons built in to instruct our children and grandchildren.

I am not saying you should throw up a flag of surrender.  I am saying that you must spend your “golden” years listening with gentleness and imparting wisdom with love.

If you are still trying to impress people with your past accomplishments as you approach 60, then your boat has left without you.  You will live adrift and scream from mountaintop to mountaintop that you were great and demand respect.   Yet not even a salamander will will pay you heed.

Mark Twain provides me with my mantra:

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

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Baby Boomers, grace and charm, growing old, impress people, used to be