Daily Excerpt: Creative Aging (Vassiliadis and Romer) - Do we have to grow old?
Excerpt from Creative Aging (Vassiliadis & Romer) - INTRODUCTION Do We Have to Grow Old? “To know how to grow old is the master work of wisdom and one of the most difficult chapters in the great art of living.” —Henri Frederic Amiel, Philosopher Time marches forward whether we like it or not. From the day we emerge on our birthdate with baby-soft skin, tiny toes and fingers, and a world of possibilities ahead, we begin to age. Even as our lungs fill with precious gulps of air and we cry out to tell the world we’ve arrived, time moves ahead. Aging is inevitable. But--do we have to grow old as we age? As Baby Boomers, we have an imposing heritage. Many of us, in our 20s or younger, pursued the absorbing occupation of self-discovery. Books such as The Road Less Traveled, along with the mystical music of The Beatles and others, opened the imaginations of Baby Boomers across the country. Could there be something else besides the prescribed roles of businessman and housewi