According to new research, maybe the \u201cgolden years\u201d can really be golden after all. I\u2019ll explain.<\/p>\n
When you hear the words \u201cold age,\u201d what comes to mind? In cultures gone by, it meant wisdom, sage, elder, respect. But today in our youth-obsessed culture, we tend to think of \u201cdecline,\u201d \u201cfrailty,\u201d \u201csickness,\u201d and \u201cdeath.\u201d Many believe that the hobbit Bilbo had old age pegged when he said in The Lord of the Rings, \u201cI feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.\u201d<\/p>\n
And recently Ezekiel Emanuel, one of the architects of Obamacare, said in The Atlantic that he wanted to die at age 75. Living too long, he thinks, \u201crenders many of us, if not disabled, then faltering and declining … It robs us of our creativity and ability to contribute to work, society, the world … We are no longer remembered as vibrant and engaged but as feeble, ineffectual, even pathetic.\u201d<\/p>\n
This sort of thinking has not only made a lucrative industry out of anti-aging products, but it\u2019s driving the whole so-called \u201cdeath with dignity\u201d movement.<\/p>\n
Of course, there\u2019s no denying that old age is a stage of life \u2014 the last stage, in fact \u2014 and it comes with a whole host of unpleasant things: the loss of mobility, loved ones, and so on.<\/p>\n
But according to a growing body of research, if folks like Emanuel get their wish, our culture will be robbed of some of the happiest years of our lives. Researcher Jonathan Rauch and others have noted the persistence of what they call \u201cthe U-Curve.\u201d In the U.S. and in scores of countries, young adults tend to rate themselves as very happy, but the older they get, up to age 50, the less happy they become.<\/p>\n
This may be due to the accumulation of life stress, the mismatch of early dreams with reality, and so on. But as people begin the journey into older age, reported happiness actually begins to increase again. The National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago has found that nearly 40 \u2009 percent of Americans aged 65 and older described themselves as \u201cvery happy,\u201d compared with just 33 percent of those between 35 and 49.<\/p>\n
New York Times columnist David Brooks says that many psychologists attribute this boost in well-being to natural changes in the brain. And while there may be some truth to this, I agree with Brooks\u2019 opinion, \u201cthat elder happiness is an accomplishment, not a condition, that people get better at living through effort, by mastering specific skills.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first life skill he notes is bifocalism, the ability to see a situation from multiple perspectives. That only comes with experience. Next is lightness, the ability to be at ease with the downsides of life. Again, the accumulation of years can help us not take ourselves so seriously. And then there\u2019s the acquired wisdom of responding to competing demands. Finally, Brooks notes that older people often have an intuitive grasp of what other people are thinking, leading to greater empathy. All these benefits can come with advancing years, leading to increased happiness and contentment.<\/p>\n
Of course, Chuck Colson often pointed out that happiness is not the mere pursuit of good experiences or feelings, but the classically understood \u201cgood life\u201d, or the deliberate acquisition of virtue, which these research findings corroborate. Wisdom, ultimately, comes from the Lord. As the psalmist said, \u201cWhat man is there who desires life \/ and loves many days, that he may see good? \/ Keep your tongue from evil \/ and your lips from speaking deceit. \/ Turn away from evil and do good; \/ seek peace and pursue it.\u201d (Psalm 34:12-14)<\/p>\n
Virtue is the mark of a life well lived, and it takes a lifetime to cultivate. Christians, whatever our age, are to seek the wisdom that only God can provide.<\/p>\n
________<\/p>\n
Resources:<\/p>\n
The Real Roots of Midlife Crisis
\n< http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2014\/12\/the-real-roots-of-midlife-crisis\/382235 >
\nJonathan Rauch, The Atlantic , November 17, 2014<\/p>\n
Why Elders Smile
\n< http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2014\/12\/05\/opinion\/david-brooks-why-elders-smile.html?emc=edit_th_20141205&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=54384625&_r=3&utm_content=buffer2fc35&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer >
\nDavid Brooks, New York Times , December 4, 2014<\/p>\n
Happiness and Virtue: Life Well Lived
\n< http:\/\/www.breakpoint.org\/bpcommentaries\/breakpoint-commentaries-search\/entry\/13\/14168 >
\nChuck Colson, BreakPoint.org , April 14, 2010<\/p>\n
Why I Hope to Die at 75
\n< http:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/features\/archive\/2014\/09\/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75\/379329\/ >
\nEzekiel J. Emanuel, The Atlantic , December 2014<\/p>\n
The happiness curve
\n< http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/robert-samuelson-the-happiness-curve\/2014\/12\/07\/3b7b359a-7ca3-11e4-b821-503cc7efed9e_story.html >
\nRobert J. Samuelson, Washington Post , December 7, 2014<\/p>\n
________<\/p>\n
Copyright (c) 2014 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. “BreakPoint” is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
According to new research, maybe the \u201cgolden years\u201d can really be golden after all. I\u2019ll explain. When you hear the words \u201cold age,\u201d what comes to mind? In cultures gone by, it meant wisdom, sage, elder, respect. But today in our youth-obsessed culture, we tend to think of \u201cdecline,\u201d \u201cfrailty,\u201d \u201csickness,\u201d and \u201cdeath.\u201d Many believe […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1028,326,1112,1031,1369,51,1659],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4907"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4907\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.churchedge.com\/illustrations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}