Will 70 Be Too Old to Remember?

I Don't Want to Forget My Life

Will 70 Be Too Old to Remember?
I Don’t Want to Forget My Life

This question was asked on Quora a few days ago. I think I understand why. It had to have been asked by someone very young and to them, seventy just seems very old, old, old ...

It was six years ago, on August 10, that I reached seventy and you know what? Seventy is not a demonic age where suddenly your memory disappears, along with a few worn out body parts.

I can assure you, when you reach seventy, you aren’t going to just wake up some morning and forget your life. That’s not how it works. When I look back, I actually remember more from my early years than I do now.

Robert and I stay so busy most days that half the time, we don’t remember what we had for lunch … or if we had lunch.

In answer to your question, I’m going to share what I think of as the most important things I’ve learned over my seventy-six years:

· I’ve learned: humor is most important. Humor has no limits. Every situation has at least a little humor in it. It’s a great neutralizer.

· I’ve learned: patience is most important. Patience is, like they say, a virtue. If you wait long enough, everything takes care of itself. Even the bad times don’t last forever. Be patient and you’ll see …

· I’ve learned: time is most important. Time is even more valuable than money. It’s all in how you look at it. Time moves progressively faster the older I get, so I don’t sleep very well. Maybe I’m nosy. Or maybe, I’m just afraid I’ll miss something important while I’m asleep.

· I’ve learned: having someone you love who loves you, too, is most important. Love can’t be measured. It’s either there, or it isn’t, but you do not have to accept anything ‘in-between’ with love. You deserve the “real thing”. That was a hard lesson to learn.

‘ I’ve learned: giving to and caring for others was most important. There is a natural feeling of euphoria, calm, and a wonderful boost of energy after doing something kind and good for others.

· I’ve learned: each age I reached was most important. There have been so many people who weren’t so lucky. They never got the chance to age at all, so I’ve tried to live every day as the gift it was —some good, some not so good, but gifts they all were, just the same.

Yes, I’m seventy-six, but I don’t feel any different today than when I turned seventy —-and my present memory suits me just fine, thank you.

I hope someday you’ll grow old enough to understand.

“No Matter Where You Go, There You Are, And here I am …”
—Carol Cotton