Betty's Mother, Georgia Pearl Roll BoydInside Every Old Person... Is a young person wondering "What the hell happened?" I understand that better each day as I watch the person I used to be disappear before my very eyes. The new person in the mirror is different and the process of adapting to the new identity can be challenging. Despite the fact that I have known it was coming for a number of years and even wrote about it when I was a graduate student in my early 30s, I still find the changes surprising. Not that its all bad. There are a number of pluses to offset the physical decline taking place.
Some Memory Decline Is Inevitable. The other night I unloaded the back of Betty's car and took two armloads of groceries in the house. The next morning, I found the garage door still open along with the back door of the car. I must admit to being somewhat forgetful all my life but events like that are much more common now. One of my friends told me that he has systematized his life's routine that he has little trouble with routine matters such as finding his wallet, cell phone, or car keys. We can all utilize these technique if the short-term memory decline becomes too much of a problem. One way that I offset the effects of short term memory decline is to use the rich set of memories I have about the distant past starting as young as three years of age.
You Can Continue Learning. Forgetting what you have already learned is not pleasant but there are now so many resources available that you can replace that learning with new things that interest you now. I may no longer remember the main mechanisms for chain transfer in low pressure ethylene polymerization but I now know that one of the main ways that the brain aids in the balance mechanisms for the body lie in communication of the muscles with the cerebellum in the brain.
Death May Take Friends and Family. I recently lost my dad. While I am greatly saddened by his death, I still have many friends and family left and the ability to make new ones every day. I have also resurrected many relationships with cousins which have become instantly gratifying. I saw a cartoon the other day that showed a woman with two children standing by a grave stone that said, survived by his spouse, two children, and 650 facebook friends. Several prominent neurologists report that one of the best ways to cope with the aging process is to maintain social contacts. Social networking and some chatroom sites can help us do that.
We Can No Longer Ignore the Inevitability of Our Own Death. For a number of us, the main way to cope with our impending demise is to practice denial. We just don't think about it. As we get older, it is almost impossible to do this. I have spent numerous hours in an effort to get in touch with my spiritual side. I have studied the issues and looked at the evidence. While I have not proven that there is a possibility that we might continue to live after we depart this life, I certainly don't consider it impossible. In fact, I think there is a preponderance of evidence that it is likely. Of one thing I am certain. The best strategy for me is to live each day as if it is my last because it may be.
The Value of Freedom. I have more freedom now than at any other time in my life. It is what i have always longed for. Each day when I wake up, I am thankful that I can do pretty much what I please. If I can maintain as much physical capability as possible, I can enjoy this beautiful planet and the beauty that surrounds me. I can experience the love of friends and family until my time here is finished.
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