A Pot Full of Old—Aging Gracefully

“A Pot of Old” can be your “Pot of Gold,” if you let it.

I never much thought about getting old until I turned fifty. Then, suddenly, I entered a race against time to get all of the things done on my bucket list. After one big surprise birthday, I momentarily circumvented all of my fear about being rejected, because no time exists for such nonsense. So, now, as one who qualifies for AARP, I can actually rent a car for less while I’m taking my arthritis and cholesterol meds. Yeah for me!

The truth is, I actually really enjoy being an older man. The benefits of being over fifty far outweigh the problems. One amazing factor about being older is the opportunity to assess life through the lens of time. I can deliberate and make great decisions based on a large menu of items that I have already tasted, digested, and felt the benefits of. This is similar to going to a restaurant that is one you frequent, knowing that you are about to get a delicious meal with no questions asked. This is far better, sometimes, than constantly trying new restaurants with the hope that you’ll find something on the menu you enjoy.

This, I call, avoiding a sophomore attitude that is endemic in the youth. When you’re young, you want to try everything, which is a part of life. This sophomoric attitude annoys me about older men who haven’t learned this important lesson: This moment is divinely inspired. Don’t make light of the moment. Instead, live it fully, experiencing the now.

The difference is that, as an older adult, we can discern what was good and what wasn’t good about our experience—after we gave it a chance. I’m not saying I haven’t dismissed many relationships and opportunities because they simply weren’t resonating with me. No, not saying that at all. In fact, one of the great options of age is that I can make those decisions safely, knowing myself better than anyone. I absolutely can see within minutes if someone is a nurturer, a taker, a troublemaker, or a lover. It’s as if age has given me a divine sifter, like those change machines at the grocery store converting pennies and dimes to dollar bills.

Another great benefit of being older is that I see that it rains and thunders on all of us. The human experience is not purposefully singling out you or me and creating a mess for us to clean up. No, life just brings “stuff” because this is earth and we are human. In fact, I’m even getting used to being wrong. (Yes, I wrote it publicly and often say it aloud!) Apologies are becoming second nature. I get that I’m here to experience. Some of my experiences are joyful and loving. Having a bad experience and making wrong choices doesn’t make me a bad person.

Some lessons are more difficult to endure, especially if I resist them. I’m learning to plunge in and feel all of life as it passes me, taking from my experiences the lessons I’ve learned to create better times in the future.

This book is a story of never saying what you want or believe, until maybe it’s too late. This piece of Southern Literary Fiction will have you laughing and crying as the confusion of life, love, and crazy characters find their way into your heart. Go to Amazon!

* * *

Bo works with people on SKYPE and FaceTime all over the world. He is taking new clients now. Call 954-253-6493 for information.

Take the time to look at Bo’s bookshelf of self-help books, novels, healing downloads, and yoga DVD. All of Bo’s books help people such as you, make SIGNIFICANT CHANGE with habits, find your SOULMATE, your PASSION, reach YOUR DREAMS, and dictate your own FUTURE.

Chosen to show his new hypnotherapeutic techniques on The Learning Channel (TLC) and also given the opportunity to teach at the world conference for Learning, and received the award of excellence for Helping Overcome Obesity in Nashville, Bo Sebastian is the writer and director of Finding Authentic You and Uncommon Gay Spiritual Warrior. Go directly to Amazon/Amazon Kindle to buy any of his wonderfully inspired books: ]