It is Sunday and I usually post some obscure question or delight my readers with something entertaining….but today I would like to post on something that we all must go through in our lives….aging.
When we are young we do not think about grow old until one day you realize your reflection shows wrinkles you did not know were there and you start growing hair in places it did not grow before…..and when you get up from sitting and your body sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies–Snap, Crackle and Pop.
I was doing fine until about 55 I broke my leg, 2 operations, then I lost 4 toes, then I was diagnosed with diabetes then I was told I have 2 types of cancer and then there is the treatments…..so when I say ‘getting old sucks’ I mean it.
Old age gives you a new mindset and of course the contemplation of one’s mortality…..but we can soldier through if we just rethink old age.
Whether you are a Gen Zer entering the workplace or a boomer entering retirement, there’s no denying the fact that you aren’t getting any younger.
But does the thought of growing old sting? Even though aging often has a negative connotation, it doesn’t have to.
Western culture tends to define aging as a gradual physical decline — associating it with aches, pains and a foggy memory — and becoming out of touch with a fast-paced society (e.g., the internet meme “OK boomer”). We are led to believe that our best days are a summit that will pass us by.
But when we look at the science of aging, fundamental pieces of this negative narrative start to vanish.
Alan Castel, a professor of psychology at UCLA, is an advocate for aging victoriously. “Our own attitudes about aging do influence how we age,” Castel says, “so if you think positively about what can happen as you get older, then you might be active and healthier, and you might live longer.”
In his book Better With Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging, Castel cites a study in which researchers used Catholic nuns’ diary entries from when they were in their 20s to determine their levels of happiness. Of the most cheerful nuns, 75% lived to age 80, but only 40% of the least happy nuns lived that long. The happiest nuns lived about 10 years longer than the least happy nuns.
Castel uses this example to support his view that there are things you can do today — whether you’re 25 or 65 — to live a happier, healthier and longer life.
https://100.ucla.edu/impact/its-time-to-rethink-aging
Getting older is not the end of the world, but it is getting closer, we need to knowledge the aging process and learn to cope.
That is all for me today….enjoy your Sunday and as always…..Be Well and Be Safe….
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
I was okay with getting older until it seemed to accelerate for no good reason. As you say, it’s one thing after another. One day you are doing okay, the next you have-2-3 things wrong with you. Then your body starts to let you know you can no longer do things that were easy enough only a year earlier. Some days I look out of the window and wonder where it all went…
Best wishes, Pete.
Like I said ‘getting old sucks’…..chuq
Exercise, healthy diet, socially active. Those are good things and can help.
True that but there are those unseen consequences of aging that will sneak up on you. chuq
Happiness is good for our bodies, and we choose to be happy by being thankful for why we have, not what we don’t have.
As we grow older, we have the opportunity to benefit from more and more experiences. Although we cannot necessarily correct the mistakes we have made, we can learn from our experiences and do better with the time we have left. We can also advise our younger friends and relatives that the earlier that they make good choices in this life the happier they will be in their remaining years. Of course, that raises a question. What constitutes a good choice?
Happiness is wonderful but cannot ward off the ravages of time. chuq
@lobotero
Imagine being trapped alive under a pile of boulders, unable to die. Even if our bodies could withstand the ravages of time, our universe would in time overcome our desire to live.
Only God can make eternity desirable
And that is your opinion. chuq
Yep! I definitely don’t want to spend eternity squashed under a pile of boulders.🤣
Learn controlled breathing chuq
And become one with the universe.
Being happy is good for our healthy, and being happy is to a large extent an attitude choice. Being happy comes from the choice of being thankful, seeing our glass as half full instead of half empty.
Being happy means watching with evil glee as the right wing radicals strip away all the safety net programs from the government budget.
@John
I suppose some people find pleasure in expressing unreasoning anger, but you don’t sound happy.
It is the Christmas season. Gifts are everywhere! The Harris/Biden is spending with abandon, hiring cronies, pardoning even for crimes still unknown, spewing new regulations, giving away money and arms to both friends and enemies, and who knows what else. Why are you not happy?
I am supposed to be angry because I am, switching from a liberal slug to a conservative maga sympathizer…and that is what they do…and that is what I am doing….
@John
Well, sitting on a fence is especially uncomfortable.
Happiness is a religious choice, not a political choice. We find happiness in the pursuit of virtue. Hard to find virtue in politics. We have to bring that with us.
How can you say that it is hard to find virtue in politics when the current political scene has made a religion our of politics. Remember that President Trump is our retribution and the savior of our nation and will no doubt be found to be our virtue as well.
@John
Before you accuse others, take out the log from your own eye.
A great need that’s still not addressed is elder care. This should take priority over throwing money around all over the place. Some of my peers like me have little or no family for assistance. I don’t and I don’t think I know anyone who can afford elder care for themselves or aged loved ones. “Alone” and “insecure” are horrible thoughts to harbor and the reality is fast approaching. The disabilities and limitations compound the fear. It certainly sucks.
Before 2025 is out, elder care will all but disappear from the United States as Project 2025 sweeps away the substance of the social safety net.
I agree and I do not think that is something that will not be addressed in the coming 4 years. chuq
Get old, but stay young.
That is good advice….sadly your body will dictate that…..chuq
Citizen Tom — I don’t know what in the hell you are talking about telling me to take out the log from my own eye before I accuse others …I didn’t accuse anybody of anything.. The fact is that the current political scene is fast being merged with Christian Nationalism defying the idea of separation of church and state and Trump Himself has declared himself to be our retribution. We are heating toward having a Christian Nationalist government and I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that a new constitution will be written making every action the government takes line up with somebody’s interpretation of the Bible….and I wouldn’t be surprised if Christian Nationalism does not become the official religion of the Nation and all other approaches to the subject of religion will be outlawed. This of course could only be a good thing. We have drifted too far from God as it is.
@John
Didn’t actually want a reply, did you?
You don’t actually deserve a reply. You just make accusations. If you make a serious enough charge, nobody is supposed to examine whether there is any truth to it. Well, some people started looking at the Democrats promises, and they realized Democrats don’t keep their promises. They are just parasites. And some people started looking at the accusations against Republicans, Trump in particular, and they realized they are just lies.
Does government have a solution for elder care? No. Democrats will just as money as they can get and spend it on bureaucrats and donors.
If I don’t deserve a reply then why does some really smart genius like yourself waste your time telling me about it? No damned politician ever keeps promises regardless of which side of the aisle they are on…never have, never will….that is the nature of the politician beast.
@John
In spite of rabid opposition, Trump did a good job of keeping his promises.
So, why the reply? Consider it an act of Christian charity.
Love ye one another as I have loved you– alright then, Tom, I accept that explanation and thank you. Let me offer the following as a more nuanced approach to Trump’s promises kept or not kept—
Evaluating how well a president fulfills campaign promises can be subjective and depends on individual priorities and political perspectives. However, based on an analysis of Donald Trump’s first term (2017-2021), here is a general overview:
Promises Kept
1. **Tax Reform**: Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017, delivering on his promise to lower taxes, especially for corporations and some individuals.
2. **Judicial Appointments**: Trump appointed three conservative Supreme Court justices (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett) and numerous federal judges.
3. **Immigration and Border Security**: Efforts were made to strengthen immigration enforcement, including building sections of the border wall and increasing deportations.
4. **Deregulation**: The Trump administration rolled back numerous federal regulations, particularly in environmental and financial sectors.
5. **Military and Veterans**: Trump pushed for increased defense spending and signed legislation like the VA MISSION Act to improve veterans’ healthcare.
Promises Partially Kept
1. **Infrastructure**: While Trump frequently promised major infrastructure investments, a comprehensive plan was not passed, though smaller infrastructure projects received attention.
2. **Trade Deals**: He renegotiated NAFTA, resulting in the USMCA, and signed trade deals with other countries. However, trade wars, especially with China, had mixed economic outcomes.
3. **Healthcare Reform**: Despite efforts, Trump did not repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) as promised. Instead, his administration reduced some aspects, like the individual mandate penalty.
Promises Not Fully Realized
1. **Balanced Budget**: Federal deficits increased significantly during Trump’s term, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. **Coal Industry Revival**: Despite promises to revitalize coal, market forces led to continued decline in the industry.
3. **Mexico Paying for the Wall**: While some wall construction was funded, Mexico did not pay for it as promised.
Challenges
1. **COVID-19 Pandemic**: The latter part of Trump’s term was dominated by the pandemic, affecting the economy, public health, and his administration’s ability to deliver on some promises.
2. **Polarization**: Trump’s leadership style and policies led to significant political and social divisions, which critics argue undermined national unity.
Overall
Trump fulfilled or made significant progress on some key promises, particularly in tax reform, judicial appointments, and deregulation. However, other promises were only partially achieved or fell short. Views on his effectiveness often align closely with political affiliation and priorities.
@John
Given your own list, I don’t see what you have to complain about.
Consider this also. Democrats and RINOs clearly did their utter best to thwart Trump’s agenda. Thus, Trump did not fail from a lack of trying. He did well to survive. He was constantly under investigation and impeached twice. Yet the charges proved completely absurd and eventually blew up in the faces of Trump’s accusers.
The fact Trump managed to withstand such a powerful assault is not something he promised to do, but it most certainly makes up for anything he failed to do.
Democrats utterly despise Trump. TDS is a real thing, and what it reveals about the people who have it should greatly concern us. TDS is dangerously irrational.
What about Trump’s failures?
Trying to achieve a balanced budget and reviving the coal industry would require congressional action. Trump did not have the political clout to get that much out of Congress, especially with the Deep State conspiring against him.
Trump did not get Mexico to pay for the wall, but he pressured Mexico to enforce its own borders. That turned Mexico into a “wall,” which was even better.
Whether entirely intentional or not, the COVID-19 pandemic was effectively bio warfare initiated by China. Trump responded well, if not perfectly.
Trump did what others have failed to do. He revealed our enemies, which includes the Chinese Communist Party. When people like Communists, our coastal elites, and much of our government’s bureaucracy are trying to enslave us; polarization is unavoidable, at least if we don’t want to be slaves.