Growing younger with age

By Carol Harblin (CHHC)

I read a quote by George Bernard Shaw, "We don't stop playing because we grow older, we grow old because we stop playing."

How true is that? Very true! How many times do I see grown adults acting a certain way because they assume that it is the adult way? Everyday. Many adults lose their playfulness as they get older and along with that, they lose their positive attitude.

Going to a playground and swinging on the swings, riding a bicycle, sitting on the floor with a book or the newspaper...or even while watching TV - these few examples are some of the things many people lose as they merge into adulthood.

Generally, adults wake up, have a cup of coffee, go to work, come home and sit on the couch with a glass of beer or wine and wonder where their life went. Where is the playfulness in their day? No recess, no spontaneity, no smiling...
Many adults may think that it is a rite of passage to be finally drinking coffee before work or drinking a beer after work. They think that as they drink coffee before work, then they are more adult and therefore will be taken more seriously.

Do as you must for your work routine, whatever works for you is a good routine...I am not saying to stop drinking your cup of java...but think about the rigidity in your adult life. Do you go outside after work and just play like you did after school? Do you sit on the floor and watch TV? Nobody ever said that these were childish, we only assumed it was.

Staying active and energetic like the days of your childhood is very good for your longevity. Also, by staying active, you will have regular digestive habits (bowel movements).

It's not everyday you see an 84-year-old woman briskly walking several miles without any help of any devices...but they are out there. Sometimes you may even see a 45-year-old with a cane already, and you wonder, "What happened there?" Well, somewhere along the way, that 45-year-old forgot to be young and just grew old.

Watch a child for a day, and adopt one activity in that child's life, such as doing a cartwheel in the back yard, sitting on the floor, walking a mile around the neighborhood before dinner with a friend (or alone), and smile. Most kids always have a smile on their faces. Most adults have a frown on their face. Let's change that and start smiling like a child!

An adult can be as dignified and sophisticated as they want to be, but don't forget the smiles, the walking, the upbeat attitude, and the spontaneity.