A Wrinkle in Time

 As I am nearing my thirties, you would have assumed I'd be sulking. However, I am full out celebrating this achievement! 

Somehow, I meddled my way through my teen years, struggled my way through my early adult transition, and I made it through my twenties. What does it mean to age? To each their own. Does it mean wrinkles and white hair? Does it not, truly mean experience and wisdom? I find that the most beautiful aspect of aging is that it tells a story. 

A wrinkle of the skin around your chin, amounts to all those laughing moments. The crow's feet peaking in the corner, is just as beautiful as the eyes that saw many generations of politics, historical events, and evolution. The aching knees are a direct reflection of dancing to your favorite songs. The loss of pigment in your hair follicles are worn as a badge of honor to your blood, sweat, and tears through all the hurdles you had to face. When we look back just five years ago, we see the decisions we made, and we learn how it paved our path. This is why aging matters. This is our eternal story. 

One of the most associated symptoms of aging is memory loss. Memory loss as in forms of Dementia or Alzheimer's becomes a factor in one's health. As the brain deteriorates, the person as a whole struggles to find those memories and connections. What deters people from the idea of aging, is everyone's worst fear- the feeling of abandonment, neglect, and loneliness. This is why, the most important concept to master while you are in your prime, is your mental health.

 Of course, you can pile on the anti aging creams, and run the neighborhood in the mornings, but what is the point of aging when you haven't mastered the art of being present.  A healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, exercise, hydration, yes, we know that is the key to preserving your youthful self. The most forgotten step in the "anti aging" regime is brain health. 

Starting from childhood, we carry our experiences and traumas with us. Both physically and mentally, it changes us as we evolve and age. Our body ages, our hormones get disrupted, our vision lacks, and it is all a part of life. We start to deny our value. Nonetheless, we have a story to tell. My first job as a teenager was as a food server in a retirement home. It was something to do. It was a part time job while I was still in high school. However, I quickly saw it for what it really was. Yes, I had my favorites. Yes, there were others that were hard to get along with. You start to learn what aging means to other people. 

Years later, the same type of job- even when I would try to quit- I found myself returning. It helped provide me through school, it helped me provide for myself, and it helped me build relationships. To work for this population, it was truly an honor. The gleam of excitement when they are pleased to see you was what kept me there for so long. Even if it was just a minute of small talk, it made their day. They remember you, and they remember their connection with you. The elderly are truly precious souls. They yearn for acceptance and belonging. This was what I found beautiful in the community of retirement homes. I found a community of people making connections, friends, staying active, and enjoying themselves. 

Aging is a privilege. This is why it should be celebrated. We admire our parents, our grandparents, and our elderly for a reason. My father faced immigrating to the states at 13. He had to quickly adjust to the environment around him and adapt to the unfamiliar. His mother, my biological grandma, had to face a time where our island (The Islands of Palau) was under Japanese rule. I, myself, was raised in a time before technology was what it is today. All three of those histories will be a completely different world to my daughter. 

As I think of my daughter, who is growing up in a time of a pandemic, I imagine her own history in the making. What I am able to pass down and share with her, she will hold onto and evolve with. The concept of aging is truly the worth you create. No matter how personal aging can be, you are the direct descendants of those who aged before you. You are the evolved story that has been personalized. It's importance will be shared for the generations after you. The beauty in aging is your personalization. The importance of truly accepting yourself and coming to terms with not only the number of years you've seen, but realizing your worth. There is empowerment in realizing your worth. There is empowerment in aging. It is a beautiful process, and it is much more than a number.