We become wiser as we accept our mortality

In Spanish we say: "Lo único seguro en la vida es la muerte", the only certainty in life is death. 

As we age, we hopefully become wiser. We gain wisdom as we overcome the challenges of ageing. An older body is a challenge in itself. We might get heavier, develop food intolerances, chronic conditions, need surgery and then there's the image in the mirror and in the photos. "Is that really me?", "I look tired". 

Any body above 45 has been working for over forty five years. Just let that sink for a moment. Your heart has been beating, non-stop, for all that time. Your bones and joints hold the weight of your muscles, other organs and the extra fat you might have accumulated around your waist.

It is difficult to appreciate how fortunate we are to be able to live: to move, to sense, to smile... So many friends have left too soon. Those who have gone before us have reminded us of our own mortality. It makes us accept that that will be the end of life as we know it. 

I've been reflecting on the idea that life is all about growth, personal growth. As we age we should become wiser, happier, lighter. Not everyone grows as they age, some people die suddenly without time to overcome the emotions they feel as death looks at them in the face. 

What is wisdom?

the fact of being based on sensible or wise thinking.

We don't become wiser because we get older, we become wiser as we are forced to face challenges in our life and, at some point, we don't want to remain stuck in a state of suffering caused by such difficulties. 

Baron Katie, an author who has the website TheWork.com, guides people towards questioning their thoughts, to reduce their suffering. She uses four questions one must ask of a situation that bothers us to help us distinguish between what is real and what is pure imagination. 

We have all been put to the test during the different lockdowns we experienced through the pandemic due to COVID-19. Bloody retrovirus indeed. 

Many of us have had the opportunity to spend more time at home. It meant something unique for every person. I hope you could see the silver lining during this compulsory halt the world came to. I had time to read, to nest, to Spring clean, to teach online, to write... 

As we reflect upon our own life, let's make sure that we have grown out of the unchangeable. Not only are we forced to slow down by lockdowns, our bodies require more care and rest as time passes by. 

In closing, I'd like to share with you one of my favourite podcasts, by Dr Rangan Chatterjee. You can listen on audio platforms or on YouTube. He's also very active on Instagram. Check him out and let me know what you think. Here's the link for the video on YouTube about his conversation with Gretchen Rubin, another great author to follow. 

Until we meet again, take care.