Are You an Old Person in a Young Body?

How old is old? I can remember as a teenager thinking that anyone over 35 was old, and that there was no “fun” left to enjoy in life after that time. As I have reached and surpassed that age, I realised that fun and life doesn’t have anything to do with age, but rather your state of mind.

I have watched many people stop undertaking activities because “they were getting too old.” I have seen the sparkle and youthful excitement disappear as another birthday rolled by.  What is age other than a counter for how many years you have been on this planet? Once your enthusiasm for life and the amazing experiences that it can offer is replaced with disinterest and ‘getting through another day’, where is the enjoyment of this amazing life we are all capable of?

I decided to take on the following quote from Douglas MacArthur as my life statement a number of years ago. I have endeavored to live each day with this in mind. “I promise to keep on living as though I expect to live forever. Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul”.

Every day when I awake I am thankful for being here. Having lost my brother to cancer, I understand that every moment we are alive is indeed the most precious thing we have. If you spend your time lamenting that you are getting older, you are wasting such an opportunity to enjoy your life.

We all have a birth day and a death day. This is inevitable. Make the most of  your time in between. Be remembered as someone who had an ageless spirit, someone who embraces their life – no matter their age. Are you a ‘young person in an old body’ or an ‘old person in a young body’? It’s your choice. Choose wisely.