Gmother's 90th Bday

I just recently returned from LA to see my grandmother for her 90th B-day (really it was her 88th, but for some reason everyone was told 90).  Like always my grandmother hasn't changed, even though she says she is old etc.  She has looked the same for my whole life, so I find it humorous when she says she is getting old.  My father also mentioned his "oldness" which he is only pushing 65, and still has the ability to play tennis or go skiing with me.  To me this is pretty good.

Why do we have such a negativity to growing old.  I feel like my whole life, i have defied this negative attitude to age.  I believe people can be truly happy, and vital at an old age.  The Hunza people had people who reported to be over 100 for centuries before western civilization.  I believe the record is 120, but it is not common knowledge.  They have had males reported to be sexually active and have full erectile function at the age of 99 (and that is all that was reported at the time).  So why do we have such a negativity to old age?  In the US we don't even look after our elders any more, we send them to nursing homes.

Being younger isn't an advantage either.  You are constantly reminded of your youth, and questioned if you can do the job right.  This is the battle that I have defied my whole life.  It is my belief that age does not define the level of a person's consciousness.  In our society, we still have people 40, 50, 60, or older lost and unconscious of what life is all about.  The real maturity hits when one understands his/her purpose, and lets go of all the hardships in life.  Not to say we cannot have emotion.  Emotions are like the weather, it is sunny or rainy at any given time.  In reality our age does not really affect our maturity.

So we are either too old or too young.  Is there a perfect age?

I guess we need to get rid of our layers of contradiction and accept people for who they are, and not their age.  The only person that defines themselves as old or mature is themselves, but that doesn't mean that they can't be influenced by others.  So the next time someone says you are old, say I am ____years young!

H