LOVE AS WE AGE
As in all areas of our lives, our definition, our expectations, and our understanding of love changes as we age. What once was a euphoric, long-sought-after ideal of youth, love has transformed into an endless pragmatic sea of family, friends, passions, and pets. We may have started life’s journey idealistic about love, but as we’ve aged, so has who, what, and how we love. For many of us, a constant source of love is family. I started as a family of 4, and through deaths, marriages, and babies, we are at 11. I have experienced the challenges and rewards of each additional family member, from sons-in-law to grandchildren. My heart has grown exponentially with each new family member. A core family unit can provide support, consistent contact and interaction, a sense of belonging, and a feeling of peace from knowing you are loved.
Friendships also change as we grow older. Sometimes we grow together but often everyday life can cause ebbs and flows in all our relationships. Friends along with family are an important part of loving. Many of us have friends dating back decades. These lifetime partners share our memories and some predate spouses and children. Oftentimes these people are the ones we turn to share our joy and sorrow and in times of crisis and need. We learn to live with those we lose and become aware that nothing lasts forever. As we age we meet more individuals and our heart again grows with the number of connections we make along the way. Friendships teach us to love differences, be empathetic, find compassion, and connect with another person. We can have casual acquaintances, coworkers, neighbors, or lifetime friendships. All these connections provide us with the necessary social interactions we need to have a full and balanced life.
Some individuals opt to pour their love into another sentient being, not human. For many people relationships with their pets are their primary source of love. Animals can be an endless source of companionship, provide a sense of purpose and safety, and bring hours of joy and happiness. Sometimes if you experience limitations it makes physically interacting with others difficult, and having a pet can provide the social interaction we all need for emotional balance.
There is another love out there too. It’s the one that ignites your passion. It can be a hobby, a career, a craft, an interest, or anything that engages you fully. It is that thing you think about constantly, never give up on, and make a priority in your life. It can be passive or active, the only criterion is that you can’t get enough of it. It is a love that can be filled by nothing else and every time you engage the connection grows stronger.
Love is not just defined by who but also by what and how. As we have aged, so has our limitless ability to grow our hearts and find things to love. It is the source of endless possibilities of aging.
Join us. Let’s talk.