The Coming of Age

We plan for everything: for significant moments such as births and weddings, the many rites of passage such as Bar Mitzvahs, Baptisms and Confirmations. Birthdays, high school graduations and anniversaries are all significant moments in our lives that are marked by celebrations that require planning. We plan vacations, we plan for retirement by tending to our 401ks, and some of us even plan for future events such as our funerals. 

But, how many of us plan for old age?  Simone de Beauvoir, in her book The Coming of Age - written at the age of 62 - wrote “Old age is particularly difficult to assume because we have always regarded it as something alien, a foreign species.” My customary way of dealing with aging is to just ignore it, as if disregarding it would make it go away or not happen. To quote the venerable Mark Twin “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” I glibly mouth trite platitudes such as: you are as old as you think you are, it (age) is just a number, sixty is the new ___ (add your age of choice), all of which can be found on many a well-meaning birthday card. But, being a person who likes to learn and plan for all eventualities and be in control of any situation (yes, the words “control freak” have been muttered sotto voce by irreverent adult children), I decided to check our library’s catalog to see what it has to offer regarding the subject of aging. Sure enough, there was no dearth of results when I typed in “aging” in the search box. It was reassuring to see the results numbered over two thousand items. Books, in print as well as in electronic format, DVDs, and books on CD, all geared towards the various aspects of aging were there, simply waiting to be checked out.

In this blog, I have included some great books. Books that can increase our awareness and knowledge of aging, and guide and direct us through all the myriad aspects of aging: retirement living, staying healthy, nutrition and exercise. While some of the books offer practical advice, others take a more philosophical approach towards aging.

• Aging Thoughtfully: Conversations About Retirement, Romance, Wrinkles, and Regret by Martha Craven Nussbaum 
• Who Will Take Care Of Me When I'm Old? Plan Now To Safeguard Your Health and Happiness in Old Age by Joy Loverde
• With a Little Help From Our Friends: Creating Community As We Grow Older by Beth Baker
• Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being by Andrew Weil
• Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole-Body Mobility by Katy Bowman
• The Longevity Diet: Discover the New Science Behind Stem Cell Activation and Regeneration to Slow Aging, Fight Disease, and Optimize Weight by Valter Longo
• Contemplative Aging by Edmund Sherman
• The Art And Science Of Aging Well: A Physician's Guide to a Healthy Body, Mind, and Spirit by Mark E. Williams
• On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old by Parker J. Palmer
• Aging Wisely: Strategies for Baby Boomers and Seniors by Robert A. Levine
• Creating Cohousing by Kathryn McCamant
• Out of Time: the Pleasures and Perils of Ageing by Lynne Segal 

While all of the books mentioned here educate us on the subject of aging, the book that resonated with me was: Goddesses Never Age: the Secret Prescription for Radiance, Vitality, and Well-Being by Christiane Northrup. I have always enjoyed Northrup’s books. I have found her positive, no-nonsense, and humorous attitude when dealing with serious issues very refreshing. Always intelligent and articulate, lacking pretension, the message of this book is remarkably simple and clear: think positive, discard negative beliefs about aging, eat less sugar and processed foods, move more, find like-minded, positive-thinking people to spend your time with and you will age gracefully.
On average, we are expected to live long lives.  Embrace the joys of growing older by reading some of the books mentioned above and discover ways to have a healthy, happy and active life no matter your age.

- Rina B., West Windsor Branch