Young At Heart

Traveling the world, every continent, peeking into every culture, I have found that only in America are the old people so unappreciated. I say old because I am old, and no matter how young you are, if you keep living, you too will get old...7000 baby boomers turn age 65 every day of this year.

When young, always running up steps two at a time, always energetic, I never thought I would reach the place that I would look and act like my grandparents, but I did and I have. Knowing their hard lives I am amazed that they lived as long as they did and accomplished so much. From the time I was a youth, I was so offended by the open casket...people walking by, staring at the dead. There are funeral homes, such as one black funeral home close by, with a drive-up viewing window. Can you even imagine anything so uncivilized?

Some of the dumbest words ever spoken: “age is just a number.” There is no need for geriatric depression thinking about age. Relax, enjoy getting older, enjoy not having to impress anyone, enjoying knowing that you have run the race, that the goalpost is in sight.

One of the most genteel ladies I ever knew owned an office building next to one I owned. Once, while discussing something, I told her that if she ever decided to sell, to give me first chance at her building. One night she called and told me, “I have pancreatic cancer. I am ready for you to buy my building. My boys do not want to look after it, they just want to move back up north.” We agreed on a price and the entire subject was closed, except for the lawyers. She said, “I am not stupid enough to prolong a certain thing with expensive, debilitating treatment.”...And, in a few weeks it was all over.

We all age at the same rate, whether you are sixteen or ninety-six. If you are 85, you have a 50% chance of going into a nursing home. If you are female, you have 2 ½ times the chance of becoming disabled. Your chance of Alzheimer's doubles every year after 65...

When I was in school just 60 years ago, diabetes was a practically unknown disease, cancer was very rare, and we were embarrassed to even discuss abortion. Just think of how the vocabulary has changed, now ½ the population is diabetic and/or overweight, body starving from lack of real nutrition. We have the cancer epidemic because every food must be sweetened, and cancer thrives in sweetness. Alzheimer's was unknown 50 years ago, some older people had what we called “senile dementia”. With the onslaught of artificial sweeteners, aspartame, et cetera, the brain and its neurology has been overtaken by poison.

Old people learned to not take antibiotics for “every little thing”. When the country of Norway rid itself of antibiotics, the country's people became much healthier. How much penicillin could have been used in warfare and everywhere else, but with the chase for instant relief, instant cure, fast everything, our immune system has been depleted. There is no reason why people should be sick, sickness is usually a matter of calories and chemicals.

Eventually, all bodies wear out, just go with it. I so well remember what one of the preachers said at my father's funeral, “he was just worn out.” It is all a matter of genes, you can look at your ancestors and determine very accurately not only how you will look, but how you will feel. Keep photographs of you and your family all around, showing how you looked when you were young. Please remember to write names and dates on the backs of photographs, the time will come when no one will remember the people in the photographs. Some of your grandchildren may want to know from whom they got their facial characteristics, your future progeny will be interested in their ancestors.

I have often said to young men who I got to know well enough so I could say it, “you young guys think you are so great, I have photographs showing I was much better looking than you at your age, plus I was smart.” Don't harden your appearance with cold, dyed hair... your wrinkles which you have earned, your saggy-ness which you have earned. Turning gray is natural, don't fool yourself into thinking only your hairdresser knows, the same with plastic surgery, even the skilled scalpel cannot make the 70 year old look 40.

During colonial times, age was considered wealth...just to have survived the hardship of colonial life. At public meetings, the elderly were seated in the front rows, always recognized as being the jewels of the colonies. After the Revolution, the wealthy were seated in the front rows, and the elderly behind them.

I participated in the funeral of the first graduate of North Carolina State University. In speaking with some of the officials, particularly an aged pastor, I said, “when you bury a 100 year-old man like you are burying today, one of the finest men any of us have known, don't you feel like you are putting a library in the ground.” Lincoln said that death is inevitable for all of us, for some death comes too quickly.

I worked hard for my education, my degrees, my military ranks. I die, depending entirely on the mercies of God, His grace through faith. I will be buried near my marvelous parents, just my name on the marker and these words, “because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.” (Psalm 63:3)