“Strategic Aging”

I have been struggling with how I think about aging, my own aging.  I have always said that I want to age “gracefully” without having a firm definition of what that might mean. I take care of myself — pay attention to nutrition, exercise, try to stay connected and interested, learn new things.  I feel good but there is no denying that my hair is gray and my skin is wrinkled.

I have my annual wellness visit and go through the recommended screenings.  I am not sure that this is going to prevent illness, but the hope is to catch anything that goes wrong in an early stage, while it is fixable.  I do maintain a fairly large degree of skepticism toward the role our Western medical system as it has evolved to date in the arena of graceful aging.

I have no interest in surgical interventions and tinkering.  Is anyone fooled by those stretched to lifelessness faces?  I can’t even be bothered to have my hair colored.  I don’t want to deny my age, just enjoy it!

Then I came across this article in Spirituality and Health Magazine, “Strategic  Aging.” (Strategic Aging | Spirituality & Health Magazine) There it was — exactly what I was trying to articulate for myself.

Strategic aging is not about recapturing youth; it is about maximizing our vitality in the present moment.

Thank-you Dr. Deborah Gordon!

That is how i want to live, with maximum vitality, aware of as many of the moment I have as i can possibly be.  Initially, I may bring the same skepticism to the guts and brains of the strategic aging as outlined in the article, but the quote above opened something in me.