Every day you live, you are technically closer to death.
Sobering thought.. indeed!!
It reminds me of a narration of a friend whose wife used to work in a psychiatric hospital with the inpatients of varying age. It seems, there was one particularly inquisitive young lady who would walk around the unit and ask, "Am I going to die?" over and over and...over again.
One day, a clever medical resident answered her with, "Why, yes, you are.... someday. We all are going to die."
Though it startled (and amused) me at this narration at that time, it seemed in reality, it did calm the poor kid. This has often replayed in my head over the years because it's simple and true: yes, we are all going to die.
We all just hope we can go out with dignity and at an appropriate age.
Talking about age, is always funny to me because, the older you get, the younger that age seems to feel once you reach it. Doubtful you'll ever turn over a birthday and think, "Well, this is an appropriate age to die! See you later then!"
Today, I discovered that despite my middle age appearance, mental age of twelve years, and tendency to pull my stomach in, I am getting older. I've begun to face up to the fact: as much as I'd hoped never to grow up and mature, I can't help but age.
The idea of growing old is not scary in and of itself, but the thought of losing your sense of spirit is terrifying.
It's this part which causes a fear in me. What happens when you no longer remember those tidbits of memories which make you who you are? What do you really become then? I hope desperately that I won't ever find out - not that I"d really know in that state whether or not I knew.
But...still. It's all just another good reason to write my thoughts down, to keep faith in words. Later on down the road, I might appreciate it more than I could ever imagine.
And if not, I'm certain it will provide a chuckle here or there - whether from me, or those very very closest to my heart.
Sobering thought.. indeed!!
It reminds me of a narration of a friend whose wife used to work in a psychiatric hospital with the inpatients of varying age. It seems, there was one particularly inquisitive young lady who would walk around the unit and ask, "Am I going to die?" over and over and...over again.
One day, a clever medical resident answered her with, "Why, yes, you are.... someday. We all are going to die."
Though it startled (and amused) me at this narration at that time, it seemed in reality, it did calm the poor kid. This has often replayed in my head over the years because it's simple and true: yes, we are all going to die.
We all just hope we can go out with dignity and at an appropriate age.
Talking about age, is always funny to me because, the older you get, the younger that age seems to feel once you reach it. Doubtful you'll ever turn over a birthday and think, "Well, this is an appropriate age to die! See you later then!"
Today, I discovered that despite my middle age appearance, mental age of twelve years, and tendency to pull my stomach in, I am getting older. I've begun to face up to the fact: as much as I'd hoped never to grow up and mature, I can't help but age.
The idea of growing old is not scary in and of itself, but the thought of losing your sense of spirit is terrifying.
It's this part which causes a fear in me. What happens when you no longer remember those tidbits of memories which make you who you are? What do you really become then? I hope desperately that I won't ever find out - not that I"d really know in that state whether or not I knew.
But...still. It's all just another good reason to write my thoughts down, to keep faith in words. Later on down the road, I might appreciate it more than I could ever imagine.
And if not, I'm certain it will provide a chuckle here or there - whether from me, or those very very closest to my heart.
Jan 20, 2010, 9:07:00 AM
Very well written, and it really is a scary as well as somber and humbling thought to imagine who it would be like when you lose your memory while growing old!
Jan 28, 2010, 4:52:00 AM
Thanks PP. It sure is scary, but what has to happen will happen.