This month’s topic, in celebration of the new website is “What Does Aging Gracefully Mean to You?” I fully embrace the concept of Aging Gracefully and I can break that down by the words.
Let’s start with Aging. Every decade of my life has been better than the previous one. I’ll turn 51 this year and I’m already on pace to make that statement as true for my fifties as it was for my forties. I have every intention of making it true for my sixties as well. Each decade comes with more confidence, more understanding of myself and others, greater dreams and more abilities to make those dreams come true.
Is it realistic to expect I might be saying the same at age 71? I have no idea–I’ll be happy to make it that far.
I don’t have a date for this photo, maybe 1988. I was 26; Grandmother was 93; Mother was 51. Grandmother would live to two months shy of 100, but my mother died at age 68 from complications of diabetes. I have longevity genes, but I’ll have to live my life more like my farmer ancestors and less like my information professional parents if I’m going to get the benefit of them. In spite of the fact that I’m sporting a farmer’s tan in this photo, I had many years of information professional jobs before I started balancing that lifestyle with daily exercise and home-grown, home-cooked foods.
Rosa Parks (Rosa Parks by Wil Mara) lived to age 92. Eleanor Roosevelt (Eleanor Roosevelt by Kem Knapp Sawyer) lived to age 78. Katharine Hepburn (The Private World of Katharine Hepburn by John Bryson and Katharine Hepburn) lived to age 96. In aging gracefully, I would be happy to achieve some part of the courage of Rosa Parks, the leadership of Eleanor Roosevelt, and the passion of Katharine Hepburn.
Aging Gracefully, to me, means seeking opportunities to create and serve at every age.
Watch this space — I’ll link to the blog hop when it’s up and running so you can read what other midlife bloggers have to say about Aging Gracefully.
Joy, what wonderful three women you have chosen as examples. Thanks for helping us remember how much they accomplished throughout their lives.
LOL Love the farmer’s tan. But seriously, love seeing you with your mom and grandma. Great pic. And you are right, in order to benefit from good genes, you still have to eat healthy and exercise. Nice post Joy!
Being happy is at the very least an important foundation for graceful and you look incredibly happy!
I LOVE those photos! And what a great group of women to aspire to — you are already inspiring others!
So true Joy. As I age I start looking at older women and seeing their vitality…or lack of. I often think of my aunt and my father, both died at 70 thru complications from cancer, and think about the steps they could have taken earlier in their lives to prevent these cancers, (or at least mitigate the damage). Testing, no prescription drugs known to be carcinogens, healthy diet, exercise etc. I’m following that myself.
I’m with you Joy. I can’t stop myself from aging, but I can age WELL. I started thinking about this years ago when my “Oma” (Dutch for grandmother) used to tell me: “It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken!” I believe in the power of exercise, healthy diet, and passion. Thanks for shining the light on the wonderful possibilities of age!
Great post and those wonderful ladies are a great inspiration! Cheers to a long life ahead!
I love your three generation photo. And thanks for the book recommendations. I admire all of these women, but I haven’t sought out books about them! This is why I love the blog hops; so much diversity on the same topic.
Great post, love the generational picture.
Beautiful family photo! I love your definition of aging gracefully: creativity and service. Those will surely fill you – and others – with grace.
What a wonderful multigenerational picture. Great book recommends on some great women.
I love that you look at the opportunities ahead instead of dread!
How wonderful to have that photograph and your memories of both your mother and grandmother. And I love your examples of grace, graciousness, gracefulness in the women and books you mention.
Somewhere, I have a picture of myself in my early twenties, my mother at about 50, and her mother in her early 70s – all of us in front of a portrait of my grandmother at 21. I am now the “elder” generation, and keeper of my grandmother’s portrait – always a source of connection, wisdom, and love – and a reminder of a life lived fully and also with enormous grace and strength.
What a wonderful photo! You are right on the money about lifestyle differences making such a difference. I’ve made some changes, but hope I wasn’t too late!
Loved your generation photo. Time goes by so quickly from when we were “the kids” to being the mother and grandmothers of today.
Let’s all hope we live as long as your Grandma and beyond!! What a photo to cherish.
Serving others keeps all of us young…I have taught teens for about 14 years and they keep me young! Good post!
Beautiful family photo, and I love the women you chose as your role model for aging gracefully.
Great photo and a fabulous outlook. Thank you for sharing!
Such lovely women to model yourself after. What a blessing that photo. And what a gracefully done post. Great execution and wisdom.