Learning to accept we shall all grow old someday will help us achieve certain mindfulness in life.
Do you listen to helpful advice to keep yourself happy? (Source: Pexels)
Gary Turk, poet, and storyteller, had the most unusual experience of growing up in a retirement home, surrounded by people a lot older than him. In his talk, Gary shares his unique perspective of how to appreciate life and learn from an older and often wiser generation.
For Gary, growing up among much older people made his childhood a lot different than usual kids. He said he could feel from an early age that there was so much to learn from the occupants of the home.
“Growing up in a retirement home, I felt like I was able to gain a sense of how incredible elders are from a much earlier age. I was able to really benefit from knowing them and appreciate what their lives had to offer mine.”
Gary talked about the rush of life: the decisions, stress of work and personal life and more. We tend to forget we don’t have unlimited time on this planet. It is important to let go and relax. “Why do we live our lives as if we have endless time? Being aware and accepting of your death reminds you to truly live your life rather than simply exist. It reminds us that everyone is temporary and there’s no set amount of time we all have in terms of quantifying life left to live.”
Learning to accept we shall all grow old someday will help us achieve certain mindfulness in life. Gary explained, “You become more open, more grateful, you hold fewer grudges, you become more in tune with your emotions, you hold those you love closer, pay more attention to what makes you happy. We can do more to learn these lessons from older people earlier so that we can get there ourselves.