Aging gracefully is a major challenge for those of us who are lucky enough to live a long life. It is easy to complain and whine about the friends we have lost, the opportunities missed and our various aches and pains. But is this the best way to age?
John Leland has followed six aging New Yorkers for the past three years. They have had various medical and financial challenges during these last three years. What became apparent to him was that those who were aging best focuson what was going right for them. Yes, what was going well for them!
The wisdom of aging is, as one person put it: “I try not to think about bad things. It is not good for old people to complain.” They seem to be resilient, to set realistic goals, and to spend their time doing things they can still enjoy. Perhaps that is why older people are happier than teenagers and young adults.