On Aging......

George Carlin (Absolutely Brilliant )

IF YOU DON'T READ THIS TO THE VERY END, YOU HAVE LOST A DAY IN YOUR LIFE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, DO AS I AM DOING AND SEND IT ON.

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50

and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60.! You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH! bedtime . And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!


HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them "

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.


And if you don't send this to at least 4 people -- who cares? But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each day!!

I don't remember to have ever shared with you my tips on " How to stay young" - how, on earth, did you quote me verbatim ????
But, dear Vandhana, you missed out on the main point , to start with - JOIN IL AND INTERACT WITH YOUNGSTERS ! Age starts sliding down rapidly, you feel younger than the youngest !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Dear Vandhana,

my God!!! how true???? at one point, we want to age so we could go to college, ride a bike, use make-ups, have friends, outings, etc. & then even before we realise - there,,,, we have a man beside ourself & kids??? wonder how did it all happen??? suddenly, the jeans don't fit in anymore & your family is making fun & advising to go for saree which is best costume for the lean & obese & then.... we start dreading what would happen next - 40's, 50's 60's God!!! why can't this time just stop?? somebody stop the world clock, pls; let's enjoy this moment for some more time.

we become, turn, push,reach, make & finally HIT!!!!! It sounds nice anyway, our process of aging. But with a wonderful crowd here in IL, hey, do you think we would age??? Chitra just turned 28 & I think I'd follow her footstep & stay young. Now that she's shared her secret......

reminds me of Deepu's quotes - "I want to grow big fast so I can wear all your(mine) clothes, I want to go to college. will I have a car for myself when I go to college?? I want to become a doctor. I want to go abroad when I grow big & travel all over the world." - so, she wants to turn 16 & become 21 soon. if it is so, where do I stand???? I don't even want to think of my age - my heart is still young (very young) you seee; am still under the clutches of the hormones....

beautiful mail, Vandhana - makes a wonderful reading.

Dear vandana,
What a beautiful write up on age, You dint have to motivate us to read till the end. Yes , If we have things todo24 hours is not enough for a day. And Meena, you do write the most endearing letters. yOu yourself are such a bundle of enthusiasm and energy. You dont haveto worry about old age at all. You are growing younger day by day and your enthusiasm is infectious.
Regards,
Meenu
After writing this mail I feel rejuvenated.Thank you IL

Dear Vandhana,

I enjoyed it immensely. It was an excellent write up, whoever it was who wrote! Thanks for posting it here. Why just four, a lot are going to receive this forward from me!!

I was especially touched by the sentences: 6 and 9.

The way most of us are thinking and living today, o my, the world is going to stay forever young:)

Have a great weekend.

L, Kamla

Hi MsC, Meena, Meenu and Kamala,

This is a wonderful article. I remember to have read it in one of the Chicken soup for the soul series books. And then yesterday my BIL forwards the same to me. I have always felt that we Homo Sapiens are kind of obsessed with age!. ANirudh is already asking me when he can drive. I told him that not until he was 21. So now he cant wait to be 21!!! Have you noticed that when kids ask questions , it mostly starts with how old will I or should I be to do something??
Ms. C, all your thoughts transferred themselves through telepathy. Anyways, i think i will always be a young 17 for ages to come!!

Vandhana

Dear Vandhana,
Enjoyed it thoroughly. Well as you said my Ani is always waiting to turn 16 so he can drive. He constantly keeps reminding me that they start driving when they are 16.My those teenage years I dread them. Never want him to age........
Talking about guilt trips. I do that quite often especially after living in this country for a while. I have to blame myself for that. Have taken a print out. Loved it. Want to be young forever..........

Love,

Yeah , great piece on Aging! See how many of us are reacting! That too everyone is talking about their kids wanting to get older and then what happens to us!obvious isnt it, we will GROW older.......ha ha!
Well, why not just decide to stay at one number and forget our birthdays....thats it.....and like Chitra has said, interacting with other ILites will keep us young always....of course all of us have to follow Chitra ma'am 's tips and keep up with her enthu...then why should we worry!?

good posting Vandhana....

Dear Vandhana,
thanks for sharing with us this lovely post on ageing. The mere fact that so many people have enjoyed this and have eagerly responded to this post shows that numbers-wise they are on the wrong side, but attitude-wise, they are on the right side.
As far as I am concerned I am just copying it to a CD and preserving it. I think it's going to be tremendously useful when I turn 40. But that's a full 12 years away.
regards,
sridhar