How to be a Seasoned Citizen in a Senior World

We don't have to accept society's definition of aging. I don't!  Getting old is a natural part of living. The only alternative is leaving the planet. We've been programmed to believe that getting old is something to dread. A recent conversation prompted me to write a three-part series on how we can choose what getting old looks like. Do you want to be what I call a seasoned citizen or a senior citizen? Believe it or not the choice is yours.

Part 1: Society's Definition of Senior Citizen

Part 2: Aging in a Youth-Driven Culture

Part 3: Positive Aspects of Aging

A recent conversation I had with one of my neighbors (a woman in her early 80’s) really disturbed me. She said “my life no longer has purpose so I wouldn’t mind dying. She's healthy &  vibrant so why was she so pessimistic? She defined purpose as raising her children and caring for her sick husband for 40-years, saying that once he died her purpose in life ended. While both these acts were certainly commendable, in my mind, they didn’t necessarily mean that’s all she had to contribute to the world. 

I understand her attitude completely. For many women around the world roles are strictly defined. A woman from my neighbors generation was expected to conform to whatever the guidelines where in her geographic location, ethnic group, and family. There wasn’t much room for deviating from the established norms.

Aging in the United States can be a disheartening experience . We not only live in a youth-driven culture, we don’t have a high regard for our elders as do most other cultures in the world.

When I was growing up 40 was considered old which is why so many women dreaded their 40^th birthday (and still do). Society had already instilled in our minds that once we turned 40, it was downhill from that point on. While the definitions of old age continue to change, primarily because of extended life expectancy in developed countries, the fear of aging here in the United States prevails.

Onward & Upward,

Jacqueline