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For the unlearned, old age is winter; for the learned it is the season of the harvest.
—The Talmud
People who remain curious and filled with wonder do not grow old.
—Daisy Saunders

What exactly is “positive aging”? How does one age “positively”?

While aging means different things to different people, the bottom line is this: There is no way around it. We get older, we age. And as we age, we can expect significant changes to occur.

Aging is a stage in our lives that, like the earlier stages, can be exciting or humdrum. You decide which. For this stage to be exciting it requires energy, stamina, and the right mental attitude. For it to be humdrum, it requires virtually nothing.

For some, positive aging means staying active, maintaining connections to others, and moving forward in a manner that doesn’t deny who we are. For others, it means accepting the inevitable changes of aging, finding meaningful activities, and being optimistic. For me, it means all of these things. And it means consciously, positively, and zestfully embracing the aging process, the realities and challenges of aging, and making the necessary adjustments—mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, and otherwise—to adapt to those realities and challenges.

For example, a large and painful part of my aging process was coming to grips with my thinning, prematurely graying hair. I had at least two choices: go completely gray or spend time and money having my hair colored. In my late forties, I chose gray and a short natural hairstyle. It was my way of saying, “I define what beauty looks like to me and I am free to be and to do me.

Think on This: What does positive aging mean to you?