Somethings Can Get Better With Age

Last night as I was eating the same meal that I had had for three nights in a row I was thinking that it actually tasted as good or better than it did the first night. Since most of the time I am cooking just for myself, I frequently have meals that last more than one night in order for me to finish them. Unfortunately, I will have to admit that on average most leftovers tend to taste and look like leftovers. But there are some, like soups and stews especially, that really do get better. This is probably because they are made up of a combination of ingredients and herbs and spices which need time to totally blend in order to reach their ultimate in flavor. Life is like that, too, I think. Certainly long-lasting friendships are like that. Other things that I could list include wine, cheese, blue jeans, and trees. And best of all, most people. Studies have shown that as we age most people become wiser, have fewer colds, sweat less, have fewer headaches, and are generally happier and have more self-confidence. In fact, self-esteem doesn't reach its peak until somewhere between sixty and seventy. Psychotherapist Dr. Kathryn Smerling has written that "As you age, you learn that things pass, and what's a catastrophe one day isn't the next." I know that this seems to be true for me. Looking back on the past three years following the death of my husband, I am pretty sure that I have become wiser and have more confidence and self-esteem. I know, too, that I have learned more about myself, who I really am and what I am really capable of doing. Like most of us, I don't like to see the number of candles increase on my birthday cake. But I believe that I have earned every one of those candles. The ups and downs in my life have taught me that happiness is both a skill and a choice. Knowing and understanding those two things have and will l, I hope, continue to help me to age gracefully and happily. Not every day is easy, but I have the knowledge of experience to help me embrace new challenges and to remember that, without challenges, we can't improve with age.