What I am looking forward to the most in my older years is having more time to devote to making ART. I am happy that ART is an activity that stimulates all levels of my being, having more free time to develop my craft and maybe even work on becoming masterful at it, is the most exciting thing ever! Also, I will enjoy more down time to relax and enjoy peace and silence. Right now, my life is a hustle both with the work that is required to maintain my reality and with the people that are attended to. Whether retirement will be the best years of my life or not remains to be seen. If health remains in tact, enjoyment may be had? Health is really the true wealth! Either way, the good and the bad will be artistically documented.
I am preparing now for later years by meditating and training my mind to be equanimous, so as to be reactive as little as possible to stress. With each medical diagnosis that comes up, my head gains more acceptance of death and dying, that this body will indeed eventually break down. The first half of life was spent living as ardently are possible, pushing the limits of mind and body, to eek out as much living as possible with out hopefully going overboard. We’ll see how my body holds up over the next decade lol. The second part of life, I will be preparing for a good death, so when death does come, surrender and grace will be in my grasp, I will fearlessly merge into the unknown, whether that be 15 years from now or 40 years away. That is my hope, at least.
What has the most impact on me about the aging population is when older people no longer feel relevant or excited by living their lives! Having the experience of working in an assisted living facility, I have personally seen people just exist . . . their life being food, TV, and sleep, as if they are already dead or just waiting for their turn. This kind of listless behavior is difficult to witness! I find the elders who have most success in their later years stay physically active, engaged in activities, and have people around them. Those who have the most success with this are the ones who really led active, involved lives in their younger years, folks who had hobbies, a curiosity about life, and a true zest for living. These people, as they age stay relevant and have good information and energy to offer to the younger generation. Usually, these are the elders who will absolutely take care of all details of their own lives and insist in doing it all themselves, for as long as they possibly can. Self sufficiency is extremely important. When aging people are able to take on this described mentality, their value increases. Family and friends really want to take care of them. The emotional connection is deeper, so if they ever really become debilitated for any reason, people are compelled to lend their helping hands.