Why?
Why is it that we are taught to think
That growing old is past the brink,
And that the rest is all down hill
Without a means to prove one’s will?
Age Esteem will return your pride
And put a ZIP into your stride
So each day try to do your best:
Aim for esteem, pizzazz and zest!
Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®
It’s Raining!
A friend who I was meeting for lunch phoned and said, “It’s raining! What shall we do?”
Such a wonderful question, “What shall we do?” – Sing in the rain? Dance through puddles? Make mud pies? Collect worms? Breathe in the odors of wet grass and trees? There are so many wonderful possibilities!
Then the timber of her voice registered. She was actually hesitating to go out because of the rain.
I pretended not to understand. She was probably concerned about me getting wet feet.
“I love to walk in the rain”, I assured her, and left it at that. She will never know that I literally skipped out the front door to greet the rain.
Yes! It is raining!
Bonnie Fatio
Satisfied
Just when you think that you’re all worn out,
Straighten up, stand strong, give a shout:
“Hooray for the day!
Come what may
I will greet it with joy and gratitude,
And a cheerful, confident attitude.”
I am alive and
Satisfied!
Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®
Esteemed
If ever I am feeling gloom
Enter in to my mental room,
I turn away and close that door
And think I should be happy for
My life and health and friends and love
And goodly spirits from above.
However bleak old age may seem
There’s still much joy to be ESTEEMed!
Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®
Shine Each Day!
Today I just lost my patience.
The saying is “she lost her cool”;
While caring for a patient!
I should have known the Golden Rule:
Do NOT fly off the handle
Always try to please…
Light your good natured candle
And shine each day with ease!
Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®
Eliminate And Esteem ate
If sometimes you’re not feeling great
Here are words to eliminate:
Sad and mad and old age fears,
Grim and dim and useless tears,
Down with frowns and joyless jeers,
Up into your highest gears!
Gauge your worth and gravitate
Towards what you most can ESTEEMate.
Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®
Grace Chumley, 52, Washington
What comes to mind when I hear the term Age Esteem is as you are getting older embracing who you are and being proud of that, and not wanting to shrivel up and think that your life is over. – To still know that you have something to contribute to society.
Living in the United States a real concern with aging is to have the finances to survive with the Social Security falling apart. So my biggest concern is what will become of me when I no longer have an income that I am earning through work. We are fighting that here. Government wants us to retire even older, which gives us no time to live. By the time we do get to where we can retire and not have to actively work in earning income we don’t have a chance to live any more. That isn’t productive. We have worked all our lives. I think we should be able to enjoy our lives and live. I worry that there will not be the finances there, or the care that I need if I need to have care.
Another concern is not having a community to live in where you are also accepted as someone who can contribute. I know that my parents’ generation said, “Don’t ever put me in a home”. Now we have better homes and better assisted living but they are unaffordable to some people. So, will my children take care of me? What will happen? Will I have a community of friends I can do things with? Will I have companionship, friendships? These are concerns.
Grace’s tips: On a looks level, I’ve always taken very good care of my skin. I’ve always felt that was important so I’ve taken care of myself that way. I obviously need to take care of myself better with exercise; but I think what has kept me feeling young is having a positive attitude and smiling. It’s my best attribute. I love to laugh. I love to laugh at myself. I remember coming home one time and saying something that I had done that was really stupid. My husband was like, “Why do you want to tell me about that? That is so embarrassing.” I thought no, I am embracing how strange and silly I was. It’s fun. I’m laughing at myself with the world, not at myself in a negative way. So I think laughing and smiling is just something that keeps me young at heart. I love to smile. I love to teach youth to smile.
I think we have a choice in life. I have chosen to be happy with whatever is thrown at me. I think that is a choice we can individually make. We can look at our lives and we can be angry; we can be sad; or we can be happy. I think if we choose to be happy we can be much more productive, have more fun and share that with other people. Then they will have fun too, love life, embrace it.
Grace Chumley, Grace Under Pressure, Chumleyfamily.blogspot.com
(If you have ever had to deal with the death of a loved one, this blog may be of precious help.)
Photo credit: Bonnie Fatio
Ageless is a kindly word,
“She’s Ageless,” one has sometimes heard,
It’s nice for when you often seem
To lose your sense of self esteem.
Cheer up! And don’t think OLD is bad,
Time is what you have, and had.
There’s more to learn, and joy to come,
And ageless ways to have some fun!
Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®
Beth Linguri, 74, USA
When I hear Age Esteem what comes to mind for me is to really love yourself and esteem yourself. Give yourself honor for who you are and what you are, whatever wisdom you have gained in your lifetime, whatever age you are. I have a number of chronological years. I’m grateful for them. I’ve had lots of experience, lots of wisdom, lots of things I have gained during that time to honor and to share.
The concern I have is physical aging. Any physical manifestations that would get my way of doing what I believe and know that I want to do, have to do. – My mission so to speak. My chosen mission for these next years is important. I am concerned about any physical ailment that would stand in the way. For example I did have severe arthritis in my knee joints which prohibited me from walking or standing as long as I wanted to, so I was able to solve that with surgery. But anything else that might get in the way is a concern of mine.
Beth’s tips: There are two things that I do. I pay close attention to my nutrition and I don’t take any medication, only food supplements, and I avoid stressful situations because I feel stress is an unnecessary aging factor. I like to learn to deal with stress in a positive way. The other thing is that I do a lot of activity. I do Yoga. I walk. I do a lot of physical activity and mental activity to unify my body and soul and spirit and to allow my spirit to really direct my activities.
I would offer the following advice. The first is to respect and love yourself. It all begins with that. Take care of yourself. Nurture yourself. Respect your time and your abilities and be true to yourself. I think that is so important at whatever age you are. I think the second thing to do is to live a life of service. I think once you are true to yourself you know that you have much to give and much to offer, so you share and you find your niche in a life of service to others.
Provide a venu for people to meet in a community to share and to grow in their own true selves and their own spiritual nature.
Beth Linguri will be hosting a conference Aug. 19-21st near Geneva, Switzerland to nurture self and spirit. www.ThePeaceConference.com
Bonnie Fatio
Growing Old
Why is it that one seems to think
That growing old is past the brink,
And that the rest is all down hill
Without a way to win one’s will?
Age Esteem will return one’s pride
And put a ZIP into your stride
So each day try to do your best:
Aim for Perfection, and with Zest!
Written by Alexandra Taylor after the chapter “Adding Pizzazz To Age” in the book
AgeEsteem: Growing A Positive Attitude Toward Aging
by Bonnie Lou Fatio
