Grow Old, I Say Grow Young
My advice for aging is actually the opposite of the title of this article. I say grow young along with me because though I know there are
benefits which come with aging I want to preserve my body and my health and keep them from aging and enjoy the present moment. I always remember the words of George Halas, the owner of the Chicago Bears football team. When he was well into his eighties a friend found him in his office on Sunday, and asked him why, at his age, he was working on a Sunday. His response, “It’s only work if there’s someplace else you’d rather be.”
Just stop and think about that for a moment. How can you age if you never know what time it is? I know from experience and as a physician that the healthiest state one can be in is when you are doing something which makes you lose track of time. When I am painting a portrait or operating upon someone I have no sense of time or self. I am in a trance state and I believe when we are being creative our physiology gives our body a profound live message. The sad part is too many people wait until they are told they have a limited amount of time left to live before they start living their chocolate ice cream.
Live Your Chocolate Ice Cream Every Day
That expression comes from one of our children who, when I asked him what he would do if he had fifteen minutes left to live, said, “I’d buy a quart of chocolate ice cream and eat it.” What I had to learn is that we each have our own flavor and brand of chocolate ice cream. I have letters from people who moved, took off their tie, took violin lessons and did all the things they wanted to do before they died. So they were not denying their mortality just enjoying their life time; their letters often end with, “I didn’t die and now I am so busy I am killing myself. Help, where do I go from here?” I tell them to take a nap because they are burning up and not out.
When you ask adults which day of the week is detrimental to their health they will tell you, Monday. When you ask kids they tell you Saturday and Sunday. Why? Because they are doing so much they get exhausted. But they are doing what they love and so a rest will restore them while the adults are not helped by physical rest. So do not wait to start behaving the way you want to and living your life.
