Its come to my attention that at some point or another, everyone agonizes over aging. Some more than others. It's hard. You change. Perhaps not so much mentally or emotionally, but physically. Your body becomes a road map that cannot be erased, although some try very hard to disguise the miles traveled. You look at photos of past years and the greater the distance between you and the memory the more apparent it is that things have changed. It's hard to put a finger on it exactly, because it's impossible to watch a wrinkle sink in, or maturity fill your eyes, but somehow one day you notice it's there. You can't count hair as it turns grey, or gravity taking its toll on your body. But day after day you change. It's not just the appearance but the feeling of your body. Aches, pains and unexplainable oddities.
No one seems to like the idea of aging. But I'm here to tell you, today, I realized something. Something of great importance. I can't wait to grow old! I mean, I can wait, but I'm looking forward to it immensely. I look forward to aging more than anything. I want to be old. I want to look back and say "I used to look like that!" As I point to a photo of my 'glory days' to perhaps my grandchildren.
It hit me in a profound way in a bathroom stall 1200 miles away from my home and my family while I was traveling on a business trip. I had read an article, where someone had recited the moment they were asked where they saw themselves in 5 years and where they hoped they would be. This person had been baffled, because they had no idea. It had been 3 days since I read that article on a plane but somehow, in someway in this moment my mind triggered and all I could think about, was how all I wanted, in the whole world, was the opportunity to grow old. My lifelong goal, is to grow old!
You see, I'm not crazy. I just realized something profound. In life, there are no certainties. Everyday is a miracle. If we can survive this planet, our environment, our health and so on and so on and wake up the next day, we have succeeded and overcome great hurdles. All I want in the whole world is to see my son grow up everyday, and one day he'll turn into a man, perhaps get married and start a family of his own. I want to hold my husbands hand and see how wrinkles look on his face as we sit with two grey heads and reminisce through all of our life, memories and stories together. I want to explore and discover more of this world around me. I want to love, live, eat, feel and everything else with the ones I love. And in order to fully experience these things, I will have to age. And that was it. In order to fully live, and build memories that are vast, to experience the greatest honor in life, I will need to grow old.
Ago is dreaded, but it should be the most looked forward to, beautiful and respected thing you will ever do, because it means that you have lived. The most tragic and sad part of life is that not everyone will age. And this is why those who do need to treasure it.
So with every wrinkle, sagging piece of skin, sun spot, aching limb and bone, and one day the realization that I just can't do things that I could once do. I will love every moment. I will cherish it! And I will look at my body the way that every aging person should - with pride! For this is my road map. And I love every moment that helped to shape it. For it means that I've lived to experience life and I've lived to give love and lived to receive love. And more than anything, I will be thankful that I was given the gift of time. For that is the greatest gift of all! Don't waste it. Let's cherish it. Every perfect, disorganized, crazy, beautiful moment of it!
Naomi Striemer
No one seems to like the idea of aging. But I'm here to tell you, today, I realized something. Something of great importance. I can't wait to grow old! I mean, I can wait, but I'm looking forward to it immensely. I look forward to aging more than anything. I want to be old. I want to look back and say "I used to look like that!" As I point to a photo of my 'glory days' to perhaps my grandchildren.
It hit me in a profound way in a bathroom stall 1200 miles away from my home and my family while I was traveling on a business trip. I had read an article, where someone had recited the moment they were asked where they saw themselves in 5 years and where they hoped they would be. This person had been baffled, because they had no idea. It had been 3 days since I read that article on a plane but somehow, in someway in this moment my mind triggered and all I could think about, was how all I wanted, in the whole world, was the opportunity to grow old. My lifelong goal, is to grow old!
You see, I'm not crazy. I just realized something profound. In life, there are no certainties. Everyday is a miracle. If we can survive this planet, our environment, our health and so on and so on and wake up the next day, we have succeeded and overcome great hurdles. All I want in the whole world is to see my son grow up everyday, and one day he'll turn into a man, perhaps get married and start a family of his own. I want to hold my husbands hand and see how wrinkles look on his face as we sit with two grey heads and reminisce through all of our life, memories and stories together. I want to explore and discover more of this world around me. I want to love, live, eat, feel and everything else with the ones I love. And in order to fully experience these things, I will have to age. And that was it. In order to fully live, and build memories that are vast, to experience the greatest honor in life, I will need to grow old.
Ago is dreaded, but it should be the most looked forward to, beautiful and respected thing you will ever do, because it means that you have lived. The most tragic and sad part of life is that not everyone will age. And this is why those who do need to treasure it.
So with every wrinkle, sagging piece of skin, sun spot, aching limb and bone, and one day the realization that I just can't do things that I could once do. I will love every moment. I will cherish it! And I will look at my body the way that every aging person should - with pride! For this is my road map. And I love every moment that helped to shape it. For it means that I've lived to experience life and I've lived to give love and lived to receive love. And more than anything, I will be thankful that I was given the gift of time. For that is the greatest gift of all! Don't waste it. Let's cherish it. Every perfect, disorganized, crazy, beautiful moment of it!
Naomi Striemer
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