Why Do Some People Fear Getting Older

Each day we each get one day older. It’s the way the universe works. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The moon cycles through its phases. And yet there are some people who get upset by this. Some people who voice their unhappiness that nature is doing what it has always done.

That baffles me.

Would we think to complain that the tides come in and out? Yes, we might be frustrated with our local town who never got around to building a proper sea wall, so that when a storm hits it washes away the playground. And we even might get annoyed at oil corporations who cause Earth-wide changes which are beyond any single person’s power to mitigate. But the tides? Coming in and out? We accept that as the way our world works. The moon with its silvery orb gently tugs against the water, and the water, like a lover seeking just a brush of the fingers, reaches out.

And so the universe wheels.

When people are young, they often crave with all their heart for time to speed up. They wish for the clock to tick more quickly so they can get more control over their lives. So they can watch what they want and stay up all night and do the things they’re told not to do. So when does the mindset change? When we graduate from high school? I’m not sure most of us would want to stay trapped in college or the just-out-of-high-school years forever. They might have been fun and free from a lot of responsibility, but they had their own share of issues. Our minds were not fully formed yet. Studies show that doesn’t happen until we are 25 or 30. We didn’t always have the wisdom to deal with challenges in the best possible way.

I think people often have a selective memory when they look back. They remember the fun of going on adventures or having an in-shape body or falling in love. But they don’t remember all the challenges that came with it.

I will caveat that some people over time do develop serious medical issues that cause great pain. If someone is sixty and they are in agony all day long from a back problem, they might wish they were pain-free again. That isn’t about getting younger, though. It’s about having a healthier body. There are people who are sixteen who desperately wish they had a healthier body, as they struggle with cancer. And there are people who are ninety who do yoga daily and enjoy life with enthusiasm.

Do we wish we had more time than the 122 maximum years we are given on the Earth? To me that falls into the category of wishing the sun would freeze in the sky. If it actually did, chaos would ensue. It’s a good thing humans have finite lifespans. We need to treasure each day we get.

My suggestion is to look at all the blessings you have. Realize just how lucky you are to be where you are. Then map out a goal list, include ways to build a healthy body on that, and get started! Every new day can be one you embrace with gratitude and joy.

Namaste.

What are your thoughts? Please add your comments below!

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