Listen to this! A few retired ladies in a coffeeshop are chatting. They are between the ages of about sixty to seventy-four. After a few complaints about the hot weather, loadshedding, the state of the nation and some idle gossip, they go on to discuss more personal topics. Some of these are “I hardly see my children although they live close by. I think they regard me as over the hill. This after I have done so much for them!” 

The conversation goes on and on… “My doctor says there is nothing wrong with me although I remain tired all the time,” “I don’t know how to keep myself busy except when I lie on my bed and watch series all afternoon.” “I am so frustrated with my husband. He is moody and forgetful.” The key theme is that none of these comments are positive or uplifting. They consist of one complaint after another. 

The ladies see ageing as something terrible and almost like a premature death sentence. The get-together ends and none of them feel better. The cheesecake and several cups of tea did not really help. Even younger people are often afraid of ageing as well. They prefer to put it on the backburner and don’t necessarily think of it all the time. I certainly did not decades ago!

There is however much beauty in ageing! An excellent example of this is a profound US mentor I had. Her name was Dr. Bee Bleedorn. Right up to her passing shortly before her 100^th birthday, she remained a prominent academic and author in the field of Creative Thinking. On top of it, she was with-it! She loved jazz and playing her mouth whistle! Right up to Bee’s death, she taught, mentored, and inspired me.