Curious about Aging: It Happens to All of Us. How Do You Feel About It? I Love It!

“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” - Betty Friedan, American activist

“Aging is an inevitable process. I surely wouldn't want to grow younger. The older you become, the more you know; your bank account of knowledge is much richer.” - William M. Holden, American actor

Yesterday, as I was driving home from an all day fitness training program, I was thinking about how happy I was that I am a part of it. I am referring to the excellent SilverSneakers Fitness program.

Four years ago I was approached by the fitness director at the YMCA where I was a group fitness instructor, teaching all ages of participants. She told me about the new program for seniors they were starting and asked if I would be interested. Saying, “yes,” was one of the best decisions I have made in my fitness career. I now teach 12 classes a week at two YMCAs and love every minute.

What is so special about SilverSneakers? First of all, being a senior myself, I am staying fit, making wonderful friends, and having fun (the three bolded words are our main goals). Secondly, the instructor training is superb – safe and effective. Best of all, the participants who attend the classes are incredible. They are all upbeat, work as hard as they can, laugh often, help each other, and spread enthusiasm for the classes.

For us, aging is a treat!

There were not a lot of aging quotations. However, the good news is that most were super positive. Let’s share a few:

• “Every industry is going to be affected (by the aging population). This creates tremendous opportunities and tremendous challenges.” - Pat Conroy, American writer
• “No one can avoid aging, but aging productively is something else.” - Katharine Graham, American business woman
• “Older women are like aging strudels - the crust may not be so lovely, but the filling has come at last into its own.” - Robert Farrar Capon, American author
• “Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.” - Kitty O'Neill Collins, Irish creator of quotations
• “Ava Gardner was the most beautiful woman in the world, and it's wonderful that she didn't cut up her face. She addressed aging by picking up her chin and receiving the light in a better way. And she looked like a woman. She never tried to look like a girl.” - Sharon Stone, American actress
• “Being here allows me to make the case that not all aging, narcissistic movie actors whose children could be mistaken for their grandchildren necessarily act with the same motivation.” - Warren Beatty, American actor

And, three more for fun:

“The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.” - Doug Larson, American cartoonist

“We are not victims of aging, sickness and death. These are part of scenery, not the seer, who is immune to any form of change. This seer is the spirit, the expression of eternal being.” - Deepak Chopra, American philosopher

“You can't stop the aging process. There's only so much oil you can put on your body. I've always just tried to go with my age. If the part requires somebody a little younger or older, I can probably get away with that.” - Angie Dickinson, American actress

I hope you are enjoying or will enjoy aging as much as I am. There are so many advantages that accompany it. I would love to hear how you feel.