The Benefits of Growing Older

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Yes, you read that title right. This concept was explained to be through a section in a book I read this year titled, Tuesdays with Morrie. It’s a book about an old man named Morrie who suffers from ALS and knows that his days are limited. Instead of living the end of his life in fear and depression, he chooses to take this time to educate the world on how to get the most out of life. This one particular section of the book, where Morrie talks about the benefits of aging, stood out to me so much because I’ve always valued youth. I can’t remember how many times I’ve heard the following phrase from my older relatives: “College is going to be the best four years of your life. Embrace it.” On top of this, the concept of growing older is debatably at its scariest point for me right now. This is my first year without a meal plan, the first year where I flew on a plane alone, and the first year where I really feel as if I’m on my own in this world. I find myself constantly wishing I was back in high school, or even middle school, where all these responsibilities I have now would be non-existent. Additionally, I’m concerned with the physical aspects of growing up, as well. Losing hair at a young age for males runs in my family. I am also currently in the best shape of my life, and I’m afraid of the day where my body won’t allow me to do the things I love to do, like play soccer with my friends.

This is why everything Morrie said in this section shocked me. He explained that aging shouldn’t be viewed as decaying, rather, it should be seen as a time for growth. He explained that once one has found meaning in his life, then he or she would want to move on, and not go back. This part really spoke to me, as a thought like this has never crossed my mind. However, once I think about it, it makes a lot of sense. I’m very anxious to find purpose in my life, and the only way I’m going to find this purpose is by moving forward. I find myself reminiscing about simpler times I had in my past too often, that I forget about all the exciting times that are waiting for me in the remaining years of my life. I’m only 20 years old, which means that hopefully, I still have the majority of my life to experience various things. It only makes sense that I should be eager to move on to my future, and find meaning in my life, instead of thinking about times that have already happened. I think that as college students, it’s important for us to see the positive aspects of growing older. We might get discouraged by all the new responsibilities we are about to get after graduation, but we should also be excited for a new chapter in our lives, where we will start to find our purpose.

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