A Soliloquy About Age

This week I celebrated my birthday. I am choosing to not divulge my age, not because of embarrassment or shame, but because, as the saying goes, age is just a number.

When I first started writing this, I was focused on the massive amount of ageism in Western society. It permeates everything.

Age is one of the few remaining topics still acceptable to make jokes about. How many times is President Biden’s age and so-called ‘senior moments’ the center of comedians stand-up routines? A perfect example of making fun of what we are afraid of becoming.?

Social media overflows with over-the-hill jokes, pointing out wrinkles on faces, shocked at how 'poorly' someone has aged.

A person’s age is always the first thing asked when someone dies. Age is always the lead-in sentence when the news reports a death.

Betty White’s passing inspired a different direction in my writing. She never let preconceived notions about age limit her. She broke through Hollywood’s glass ceiling and did so without making a fuss or having repetitive facelifts. She wore her age proudly and with dignity. ?

A few years ago, one of my students asked how old I was. When I admitted the number, her mouth dropped open in shock. With a self-deprecating attempt at humor, these words spontaneously came out: It must be this higher consciousness life I lead!

That unrehearsed response started my journey of looking at aging through a spiritual lens.

I realized that there is perhaps nothing more triggering than getting older. We are fed false beliefs about age the minute we arrive in bodies. You’ll understand when you’re older; you feel that way because you’re only sixteen; you just wait until you get to this age. And so much more.

My mother resisted aging in her own funny way. When her vision declined, she had no problem wearing glasses. But when her hearing deteriorated, she vehemently refused to wear hearing aids. She explained that she didn’t want people to think she was old. I laughed. However, it would have been nice to not have to yell when around her!

Some spiritual teachings claim that there are young and old souls, but the spirit is ageless. Your spirit is here to learn lessons and has no fear of getting old. By remembering who you really are, experientially connecting to your spirit, you never doubt that.

As I celebrate completing another 365 days of being in this body, I choose to follow in Betty White’s example: I will not fit into an age-defined role. I pledge to wear whatever I want. I will not spend money on products with fountain-of-youth claims. I will use up-to-the-minute jargon as well as passe phrases at will.

?And, I refuse to wear high heels.

I choose to believe that tired cliché: Age is just a number.

And to know that I am an ageless spirit that just happens to be in this body.?