“Age is just a number. Life and aging are the greatest gifts that we could possibly ever have.”—Cicely Tyson
I most remember Cicely Tyson for her role as the 110-year-old, ex-slave, Miss Jane Pittman. Fitting that I would come across her quote on this my 60th birthday. I have been in anxious anticipation of this day. Why? Because it is a milestone of grattitude. It is a marker of time and opportunity—not a marker of decline. It is a marker against which, instead, to measure one’s growth.
Age is a blessing not a curse. To think of it as a curse is to fail to realize the gift.
I often speak of “opportunity costs.” Life comes with no guarantees, only opportunities. A year is another opportunity—an opportunity to grow Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially. Yes, we can grow Physically as we age beyond adolescence and early adulthood. Of course, at some point, Physical growth becomes more about maintenance, but if we haven’t reached our genetic potential there can still be some room for growth.
Turning 60 presents a new decade to oppose nature’s will. It is an opportunity to take the opportunity to…. What do we want our 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond to be like? Except for that which we cannot control, we can exercise, eat well, sleep well, and stimulate our mind, body, and spirit, and be better than society tells us we can be.
I am excited for what my 60s will bring. I am not going to sit back and complain about being older. Instead, I am going to celebrate all that I have yet to accomplish.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!