If You don't Mind Your Age it Won't Matter

I picked up a free magazine today. I have been wanting to read the "feature article" for sometime now, but until today, I had not again come across the magazine in my travels. The magazine is "Senior Living" which was not a focus that I considered applicable to me; but the cover article was on a Canadian musician by the name of "Valdy." I have enjoyed his music and performances over the years, so I was interested to see "what he was up to."

I grabbed a copy and sat to browse through it; while I was on my lunch break. It was then I noticed on the cover: "Inspiration for people over 55!"  I made the correlation - "Senior Living" + people over 55 = WTF (me).

I had already sometime ago, reckoned with becoming aware that the "music of my youth" was being played on an "Oldies station."  The further denotation "Classic Rock" then, aptly demonstrated the limitations of semantics.

Who establishes these categories anyway? More importantly, how much does this categorizing feed into how people define themselves (and I suppose each other)?

I suppose if I consider it at all, my first question is, how is it that this means of "profiling," can be so broad as to claim those in their mid-fifties are seniors, yet no "seniors benefits" are accessible for quite some years to come?

Of course when I was a teenager or young adult fifty-five seemed ancient, now that I'm considering it likely, I'll see fifty-seven later this year; I look upon the matter entirely differently.

It would seem this post is shaping up to take a peek at "agism." So then, what of it? Well, first off it is like any other "ism" which draws wide sweeping generalizations, about a particular segment of the population; severely compromising each within that group, in terms of their individuality and uniqueness.  However, because it's ill-advised, doesn't mean it isn't widely practiced.

For example, within our culture one can hear the idea expressed, "respect your elders;" then observe that collectively, our society doesn't go to great lengths to do that.

So much about what one thinks about themselves, can be influenced by the prevailing collective attitudes. There is though, mounting evidence, that what each brings to bear on themselves; through their thoughts, has the deepest impact.

Before the idea of thoughts shaping reality is dismissed as "New Age" Polly-anna - ism:

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world. - Buddha

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.  Proverbs 23:7

It is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so. - William Shakespeare

The teaching of this idea by far, precedes the "Positive Thinking" movement. As I'm not a research scholar, there might well be earlier examples than the ones I've cited, and this would only account for written recording. Oral traditions and teaching, might be even older still.

Neurosciences are discovering through something being called "Neuroplasticity" that the brain is capable of reorganizing through the laying down of new neural pathways. Therefore old "mindsets" can be replaced. "Old dogs can learn new tricks" and "a leopard can change it's spots."

I used to have a "e-book" that I had down-loaded from somewhere; that had over fifty examples of people who had a wide variety of different, first time "successes."  The youngest were in their fifties and there were many examples of people in their 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond.

Many cultures revere their "elders" for their wisdom - while our culture spends and makes, billions and billions of dollars, venerating "youth." Of course agism can swing both ways, so I'm not suggesting that young people can't and don't, make a valuable contribution. It is possible though - that the passion,  enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and adventurous spirits (which can be qualities attributed to youth) can be found in those that are "chronologically older." - "Young at heart"

Conversely just because someone has had many a birthday cake, doesn't mean they have a corresponding "maturity" emotionally/spiritually.

Ideas such as "act your age" are rather limiting - to follow such dictates, could well suck the joy right out of living. To dismiss someone that has spent considerable time on the planet and has logged many a "lifetime experience" and then decides; to assess themselves for the purpose of reevaluating and redirecting themselves, as "just having a mid-life crisis," is a gross over-simplification. Such thinking assumes that choices one made when much younger less experienced, should then bind them to those choices on infinitum! ("you made your bed, now you must sleep in it.") It's simply not so!

Personally - the people that say, "if I only knew then what I know now, I would.........." and then they go out there and do just that! are very inspiring! 

Though I say this "tongue in cheek" as it doesn't at all represent my belief around "passing over" the metaphor speaks to me:

There will be enough time spent in a box once the reaper pays a call - so why go through life living in the boxes created by the minds of others?