just another geezer on the road

I have no more time for the frivolous, no desire to be frivolized. ("He's in his 70's," they say, as if approaching doom, and therefore can be written off, excused, allowed a certain irrelevant peculiarity.)

What "the world" calls of import, I call shrivelous. The world is always in danger, in jeopardy, in need of salvation and has citizens of both ill and good will flying banners to save it. The world cannot be saved, cannot be freeze-framed into some kind of nirvanic perfection. The world is frivolous, is a hussy gigolo who will sleep with any suitor.

I have my eye on more important realms: the beauty of the changing of the seasons; the deep understanding that life is everlasting, that transformation is eternal; the love of my neighbor, human and not human, as myself (and if I do not love myself what good am I?); and perhaps the most important of all, the Light at the core of my being.

I have no more time for the frivilous. I am opening to the realm I am diving into. Pure essence is what I am and pure essence is what I am becoming.

Just another geezer on the Road.

what happens when you get older?

Here are some responses to the question "What happens when you get older?" They are from Facebook friends.
  

• You look at and appreciate the larger picture, let go of the small things and are not to proud to admit when you are wrong.

• But you can't really omit the body which threads right through the heart of mind and soul. For me acceptance and quietude become much easier. I just noticed a couple hours ago that I dropped without intention into meditation though I admit it might have seemed like vacancy to those who might have watched. 

• You realize that the experience of all emotions from the very difficult to the wonderfully exuberant are all valuable and you are thankful that you feel them all for they are truly the totality of your life experience.

• The only thing that doesn't improve with age is the physical body. Getting old is wonderful, each moment opens and blooms, days and years speed up but the moments slow down. Tolerance, patience, self acceptance, better choices, less reactivity (sometimes...I am very sensitive!) all grow, and all young people are stunningly beautiful. When you're old you never lose sight of the temporal nature of everything and so everything is precious. I love being old.

• I concur with Phillip - I can better "see, feel and comprehend" all the various levels (from micro to macro) of existence / life in the cosmos and in and on on planet earth. Being a part of the whole and the Oneness of life. It is difficult to put into language what the actual experience is like. 

• You learn to live without the loved ones who have left; and you assess the kind of world that will be left for kids and grandkids. If my own kids are an indication, the world will be a BETTER place. Health? Our health isn't the question so much as the health of our planet. 

• You ripen into your childhood. 

• One becomes more aware, drops illusions, sees the world and its people truthfully rather than as we think (or wish) they were...at least, that's what's happened (happening) to me. It's a good thing, but sometimes startling.

• I don't want to paint my house purple anymore. 

• It is that "each moment opens and blooms" "moments slow down" that has amazed me about getting older. Then, too, I understand myself and the part I played in the story of my life so much better. That makes for more peace within.

• Dealing with the reflection we see in the mirror is difficult. I swear I don't know who that old woman is looking back at me. I could concentrate on that image and become very depressed and just want to give up.

• I think it is more important to work on your spirit. Inside you are still young. Your spirit thinks you can do things that you body has long since given up on. To stay alive we need to stay active, but we need to keep active in loving others, seeking ways to help other people and to spend time on growing within ourselves. I am not happy with what I see in the mirror, but I become more and more pleased with who I am. And I know that there is so much more I can learn.

• This is an easy question.What happens is that the Catholic, which I am, me says there is a heaven and Hell. That is not true in my opinion. Hell is very real. Every minute of every day is dominated by thoughts of everything you did wrong in your life. I can remember every name of women I mistreated, men of whom I lost friendship and the facing of knowing there is absolutely nothing that you can do about it. 

• I miss being young and cute too. I see now how I used that to get out of pickley situations or get into good ones so that's interesting. It no longer works! But there is a time for everything and so I really appreciate how beautiful young people look. It's their turn to shine. 

• I never described myself as cute. That's one thing about aging. When you are young, you see yourself as others see you. When you are older, you form your own opinions about yourself.

• Acceptance happens.

• I agree being cute was fun, but it was also troublesome to some degree. I don't know that I would trade the peace I've found as I age for looking like I used too (or being as small as I used to be). Thank heaven I don't get to or have to make that choice. I have become much more mellow with age. And, as Richard says, acceptance happens.

• You become more accepting, wiser and a person who can take criticism. You become a better person. 

• I enjoy more of the little things in life...a sunrise, a flower blooming, a cup of coffee, a good book, a slow drive through an old neighborhood. But....I also find I am able to voice my opinion more now than when I was younger and was afraid of what people would think...yes...I am more accepting of myself I think.