How many times have I seen The Wizard of Oz? Too many to count! Many lessons could be learned from that enduring old movie. Today I’m thinking about how Dorothy’s “We’re not in Kansas anymore” observation applies to those of us at 70 years old – or older – now.
Not so long ago being 70 often meant watching the world pass you by. It doesn’t have to be that way! Today at 70 we can choose to be a part of the world around us…and be happy and content. While the media and even some of our contemporaries might suggest that folks our age are depressed and lonely, thankfully that is often simply not the case.
An article in The Guardian entitled Could your 60s and 70s be the best decades of life? shares great insights. For example, “Research suggests that…sixty-five to 79 is the happiest age group for adults…” Is that not a “delicious surprise”?!?
This article also quotes Monica Hartwell, 69, as saying, “The joy of getting older is much greater self-confidence…It’s the loss of angst about what people think of you: the size of your bum or whether others are judging you correctly. It’s not an arrogance, but you know who you are when you’re older and all those roles you played to fit in when you were younger are irrelevant.” Such liberation! I love it!
Will all of us in our 70’s be traveling, running marathons, or creating unbelievable adventures? No. The lives we create in our 70’s will be as diverse as the lives we created in our younger years. Each of our journeys through the 70’s and beyond will be both personal and unique. What’s really important is that we surround ourselves with kindred spirits – people who share our perspectives, interests and values. And don’t forget. Even if we can’t get “out and about” to do that, we can connect with those kindred spirits virtually…like we’re doing right now, “as we speak”!
No, we’re not in Kansas anymore. We’re not 40 or 50 or even 60 now. However…we can choose to be joyful and grateful…and embrace life with a positive spirit! Let’s view our 70’s as an interesting new beginning.
In the words of an old Swedish proverb, “Those who wish to sing always find a song.”
So…let’s find our songs!
Celebrating70 
Great article, Kate. I loved reading that research showed that those of us between 65 and 79 are the happiest, My song is, “I believe I can Fly,” by R. Kelly, and age does not limit my thinking!
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting, Nzinga! I agree with you; age does NOT limit our thinking! And I do love that R. Kelly song! Yesterday in the Ask Amy advice column, a woman of 62 lamented her lack of youth and asked the question, “Short of moving to a desert island and waiting for death, what are we to do?” How very, VERY sad. What she needs to do is thank God for the gift of life, have gratitude for her blessings, and realize that physical beauty is fleeting, overrated, and not a measure of our value. Again, Nzinga, thanks for your kind comment!
LikeLike