The Downside of Aging is dependent on one's outlook on life

I'm returning to Frederic Hudson's book "The Joy of Old" for a few more gems.

I love this book because each page is devoted to a short topic with a poignant question at the end. Although I dedicate my writing to the positive aspects of aging, I realize that there are some negatives.

I find very few Elders who dream of being 16 again. As a matter of fact, most people say they would like to be young only if they could take their years of experience and wisdom with them.

Our culture tells us on a regular basis what they think about old people. We are stereotyped as tired, weak, frail, forgetful, and useless.

We certainly don't need a list of the downsides of aging, but we can also laugh a little about our common experiences.

If you're over 65 and reading this article, you might identify with a few.

So we are a little more susceptible to certain ailments like arthritis, loss of hearing, bone loss, etc.

I talked to my 86-year-old sister this morning. She's my mentor, inspiration, and model of successful aging.

She told me her electric toothbrush wore out. So after brushing manually last night, she went to bed and had terrible pain in her right hand. She realized that the arthritis in her hand was inflamed by brushing her teeth.

We had a good laugh, and she's off to buy a new toothbrush!.

As we age, we may have less energy to do the things we easily did in the past. But my new pleasure in life is napping. The lack of energy is a trade-off for a beautiful nap and a little quiet time. I think it is one of the healthier things I do.

So I'm embracing the siesta!

Finding employment is most likely more problematic. If you need to work, then age can be a roadblock.

However, there is a new trend in the business world that sees the value of wisdom at work.

So you still have the opportunity to be a trendsetter! In addition, business owners consistently say older workers are the most reliable.

We do have to cope with loneliness if we lose our mates and long-term friends. A quote from J.K. Rowling says, "Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all those who live without love."

But since we are the ones who have outlived others, Dr. Seuss shares with us the remedy, "Don't cry because it is over. Smile because it happened."

I promise that we'll get back to the upside of aging next week!

Mr. Hudson leaves us with this question, "Are you more influenced by the downside of age than by its upside? Which do you think is more generally emphasized?"

It's up to you.

Find Connie’s book, “Daily Cures: Wisdom for Healthy Aging,” at www.justnowoldenough.com.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: So aging has a few downsides, attitude is the key