Mia Elizabeth Newman

AWARENESS AND AGING

I have always thought aging was an interesting idea. That was until I turned seventy. My son flew me interstate for a special family dinner. He gave me a book called The Ageless Self, Meditations on Aging by Thomas Moore.

An interesting idea became a reality. I was seventy. Exactly what did that mean for me? How did other people feel about it? What were other people’s stories on aging?

Moore’s book was a starting point. He shared that turning seventy was a true initiation into old age and that ‘an awareness of aging comes in steps and phases. You get glimpses and those hints accumulate into a loss of youth.’ I started to become aware, aging is a fact and I am becoming older.

I am now seventy six. Awareness of my aging process has become a daily practice. I journal on an A5 notebook with my first two cups of tea. Just one page, feelings, thought, and dreams. It anchors me into my day with the prayer,’ God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.’ And for that wisdom I need to develop awareness.

For this stage of my life there is no road map. I learn as I go and I am learning to be compassionate and kind toward myself when the going gets rough. There are different priorities and I face different challenges in this new place. I find other woman’s stories important. They reassure me I am not alone and they cast a light on the path and the ending we all must make peace with.

I acknowledge that awareness for others is not appropriate as they age. For them it’s staying the same only changing or adapting when change is forced on them.

This may be useful. Where are you on your aging journey? Journalling will help you clarify. So will talking to a trusted other, friend or therapist. Focus on the positives and move forward validating your choices.