It was inevitable. Since returning to work 2 months ago, I’ve mostly been catching up on physical exams and seeing just a few acute care visits daily. But, as I’ve extended my work hours, my schedule includes more of my delightful pediatric patients and their acute illnesses. While it’s wonderful to see the beautiful smiling faces of infants and toddlers, it’s fairly easy to acquire whatever germs they carry as they cough in your face or place their fingers and hands on you and your equipment. That being said, there’s been an epidemic of gastroenteritis (i.e. diarrhea) running around the community, even resulting in beach and restaurant closures, that it was only a matter of time before I received my exposure at work. Fortunately, the test of my immune system was short-lived. Less than 24 hours after my fever and GI distress started, it had abated. While uncomfortable, I was determined that with adequate fluids and GI rest (no eating), I could push through this inconvenience, and fortunately, my body cooperated.
So, what does this poopy story have to do with aging? If it weren’t for my body’s years of experience and exposures in the medical field, this illness could have kept me out of work for days or weeks. Through my years of experience, my body has generated a vast array of antibodies. These antibodies are the difference between my less than 24 hour recovery from an illness that generally takes a toddler 1-2 weeks to overcome. It’s so easy to look at the negatives that come along with aging. The bones and joints are stiffer, we don’t heal as easily from injury, more and more of our friends and relatives are dying or getting diagnosed with terrible diseases and the list goes on. However, as with everything, I challenge you to look for the positives.
With age comes experience and wisdom. Although many employers value youth and originality over experience and wisdom, wisdom is what keeps us out of trouble. Just as the toddler learns that putting a metal key in an electrical socket will burn you, our experiences help us develop wiser decisions that keep us safe. Eventually, this leads to less anxiety and a more fulfilling life. We no longer look toward objects, money or that latest fashion to provide our happiness, but rather enjoy reading an enlightening novel, watching a funny movie or just holding the hand of a loved one. It’s often said that we “slow down” as we age. While for the young, that may sound boring or unappealing, it really isn’t a negative. As we slow down, we see things that would have otherwise passed without notice. The hummingbird chirping from the cedar tree, the gorgeous dahlia hidden aside the thorny rose bush and the toddler giggling as he chases after bubbles being blown by his father. Every moment of every day, shapes our life. We can either choose to walk by quickly on our way to Starbucks or stop and smell the roses, invigorating our senses along the way. We can be that runner in the Olympics stopping to help their fellow runner who tripped, and develop a lifelong friendship and bond that is honored by the world, or we can choose to continue in the race for our own personal record.
There is beauty in slowing down. There is beauty in aging. Although I’m still in my 40’s (albeit not for much longer), my mother is in her 80’s and I have 3 siblings turning 60 in the next 2 years (yes, I had 3 brothers who are less than 2 years apart...busy mama). The toll of chemotherapy on my body does make me feel much older than I am (I feel as if I’ve aged 10 years in the past 6 months). Yet, I will embrace the grey hair, my osteoporotic bones and the aches and pains of aging, to be granted a new outlook on life. I feel blessed every day to take a deep breath, feel the raindrops on my skin, the smell and taste of fresh coffee as it glides over my tongue and the love in my heart from all the beautiful people in my life. I can’t help but start each day with a smile, no matter how upset my stomach is, how much my shoulder hurts or how little sleep I got the night before. Life is a blessing and aging is a privilege.
In past blogs, I’ve included the Serenity Prayer. In this blog, I’ll include the Senility Prayer:
God grant me the senility...
To forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do,
And the eyesight to tell the difference.
Aging is not lost youth, but a new stage of opportunity and strength.
~ Betty Friedan
~ Betty Friedan
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| Embracing the gray and the new hair coming in. |
