Thought of the Month

The Hidden Gift

In today's society, we often glorify youth.  The media focuses on young people, and seems to insinuate that it is during the twenties and thirties that the pinnacle of all we could ever want in life can be achieved.  Fashion, film, and the cosmetic industry often focus on the lives and well-being of younger people.  Although we like to think we have made strides in terms of how older adults are perceived in society, and this may be true in part, the younger stages of life are still frequently emphasized and held up as the ideal.

 

There is a secret about getting older, although it is not always capitalized upon.  It is a hidden truth that some of my mentors have taught me about, and I am beginning to see some glimpses of it as I progress in my own life.  The fact that it seems to be a secret only intensifies its truth and value for me.  The secret is the new vantage point that comes with growing older.  It can offer such a kaleidoscopic perspective, although it is a decidedly more internal journey.  It may not seem very exciting on the surface, but that is exactly the point: it is about what is going on much deeper within a person.  As you grow, you can move into different galaxies of experience.  You can grow so much that what you did five years ago may not even seem conceivable now, or conversely, things that you may never have dreamed of doing in your youth may seem extremely possible now.

 

If you open up to life, it opens up to you.  You can choose to make the most of the opportunities that come your way, and they can take you to new places.  Life can just keep getting better and better because you make it that way.  You can always choose new goals, new adventures, and new dreams.  You don't have to stop.  You don't have to listen to anyone who might try to hold you back, or not want to see you succeed because it threatens him or her.

 

As the years go by, all these goals and dreams realized add up and you just might realize how beautiful you really are, and indeed, always have been.  This understanding, in turn, can lead you to the next beautiful place on your life journey.  It is truly up to you.

 

If you don't give up on yourself, life won't give up on you.  You can always make it different and better once again.  That can be the gift of aging - you realize that your internal life matters so much more than anything that is external.  With this realization comes extraordinary power to do the things you most desire.

 

Suzanne Welstead

March 2010