Be curious, be awestruck

November 7, 2015

be curiousWhen do we really get old?  What is old, really? Is it when we turn 70? 80? 90?

It’s not an age at all.

I think it’s when we lose our curiosity and our ability to be awestruck by the world around us.

So, it’s true–the older we get the more we see the darker side of things. Just think about what we notice now about politics that we might not have been so astute about in our youth.

At the same time, there are days when the sky is still impossibly blue, little children still sound like happy music when they laugh, artists of all kinds create beauty,  friends do kind things, the miracle of birth happens every day…. I could go on, but you get the picture.

My feeling is that we remain young as long as we have curiosity about the world around us and continue to be awestruck about the magic that is life.

What is old, to you?

18 comments on “Be curious, be awestruck
  1. hillsmom says:

    You might enjoy this article from Vogue on women and age.
    http://www.vogue.com/13368217/why-women-should-stop-calling-themselves-old-ageism/

  2. I’ve always said, old is 10-15 years older than me. As long as I’m still learning and getting around I think I’ll keep that philosophy.
    b

  3. Hi Carol! I so agree with this! The people I think of us “old” seem to close in on themselves and never think, say or do anything new or different. You don’t have to be “wild” to act young, just stay curious. I think that us bloggers have a big advantage because we are always on the lookout for the new and interesting! ~Kathy

  4. Jennifer says:

    I totally agree. Old is when we decide we are! just like that mysterious term middle age. Blogging and learning the technical in’s and out of this business is keeping me young.

  5. Old is more than just a frame of mind. Old is when you don’t keep up with even the most basic technology-like cellphones; when you withdraw from life and continue to keep that bubble hairdo you wore 30 years ago. Brenda

  6. I so agree. Truthfully, there are days I feel 100 lately (dealing with grief) and other times I feel much younger. It’s a mindset! Great article!

  7. Ruth Curran says:

    I hope we never lose our ability to wonder. That wonder leads us to the most beautiful places and helps us discover, explore, and be. Wouldn’t it be great if we lived in a “space” where we simply encouraged each other to be in awe? (Insert raised coffee cup here) Here’s to finding something wonderous today my friend!

  8. Old, for me, is an emotion. When I was really young, old was anything that did not have a glint of brand new shiny perfection, and made me cringe just a little, such as 27 year old skin. As I matured the definition was the same, things that made me cringe, but the things that filled the niche were very different, such as intolerance and bitterness, that still are flaws that erode away a persons life, but have shifted from physical to attitudinal characteristics that evoke a negative emotional response in me.

  9. Laurel Regan says:

    So well said, Carol! I truly don’t believe getting old is so much about age as it is about mindset. I hope I continue to age but manage to stay young the whole time. 🙂

  10. Kate Mahar says:

    While I agree with you all in some ways, I also find myself wondering, why is “old” automatically a bad thing? Why can’t you be old AND curious and delighted and excited and a rainbow of other wonderful things? We’re doing a good job of turning “like a girl” into a positive, rather than derogatory comment. How about, as we boomers age, we begin believing that OUR version of being old is also a good thing? Hopefully, we’ve put those years to good use to become better people today than we were few decades ago. At 64, am I old? I guess I’m getting there. But I’m also having the best time of my life and can’t wait to see what comes next.

  11. Keriann McKenna says:

    I can see my body aging. I admit to fighting the wrinkles on my face (although I’ve earned every one of them) and I don’t much like the sagging skin that was once smooth. However, I refuse to let my body define me; I’ve never done that and I don’t plan on starting now. I will continue to be curious and be amazed by the wonder of new things. I am so much more than the body that carries me from place to place.

  12. Alana says:

    My aunt was 77 when she died in a car accident in 2002, but up to the very end, she was so curious about life. She had so many plans for the future. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and following their interests (even volunteering at an animal shelter with one of them), listened to modern music, and was never afraid of trying something new. She was also still working full time. I wonder, sometimes, if (assuming she would have lived until today) if she would still have been like that today. In contrast, my mother in law, who is 87, is in declining health and has lost so much of her curiosity. She just wants to sit in her chair and watch TV. I worry about her. A lot.

  13. I just heard Elizabeth Gilbert speak about curiosity, and she said, “Creativity only requires that you be 1% more curious than terrified.” Loved that!

  14. Cori says:

    My idea of being old has to do with physical limitations. Both my grandmas are not as active anymore and it has made them seen a lot older to me. One’s limitations are self-induced, but the other’s is truly a result of living a full life the body showing wear and tear from that.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Follow Carol

Welcome!

Here you’ll find my blog, some of my essays, published writing, and my solo performances. There’s also a link to my Etsy shop for healing and grief tools offered through A Healing Spirit.

 

I love comments, so if something resonates with you in any way, don’t hesitate to leave a comment on my blog. Thank you for stopping by–oh, and why not subscribe so you don’t miss a single post?

Archives

Subscribe to my Blog

Receive notifications of my new blog posts directly to your email.