I clocked forty recently. If anyone should ask how I feel, I honestly don’t feel forty. I don’t feel any different from what how I felt twenty years ago. I am still that same little girl inside. Yes,I am different in many ways from how I look ten, fifteen years ago; which is expected even if I do loads of cosmetic surgery to beat back the years and enhance my looks. I see a few lines around my eye area, and they seem to have added some definition to my face. LOL.
Then my eyes. Yes. My eyes. There is something about them that speak volumes. A discerning mind can read that this fellow has weathered various storms of life and behind those white balls is a lifetime of wisdom and experience. I am forever appreciative of my natural lithe body. My age cannot be determined by my body. Going by my athletic and slim body type, I can pass for a twenty-five year old. I am ageing gracefully and beautifully and will always pay attention to my looks.
I am very conscious of heights I should have climbed but haven’t, places I am supposed to have sojourned to but yet to be opportune to, and successes/achievements my hands should be handling by now but haven’t. I am getting aware by the day that I have to fulfill my call. I seem to hear a bell ring each new day reminding me that my destiny is waiting for me. So what is my destiny? What is that thing or those things that I do effortlessly and with pleasure? I realized to my dismay that like most people, I have wasted years doing the wrong things, being who I am not, pleasing the wrong people. I have deviated from my calling, my gift, my destiny. It is no wonder I have this dissatisfaction within me.
Yes, I seem to have it all in the estimation of world definition of success; but deep within, I know that I am far from it. Whenever I come across people living out their destiny, I see the joy, fulfilment and confidence that radiates in them. They may not yet be in wealth, but it can be seen from their contagious excitement that they have struck gold.
My prayer is all about asking for time, courage to take leaps of faith, ability to see opportunities and take advantage of them. I seem to be conscious of time more than I was before. I am not afraid of aging, it is part of life and everyone will age, grow old and eventually pass on. What I fear is aging without fulfilling my destiny and without purpose .
Some facts are inevitable in life, I mean, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. It is no use fighting or being worked up about it. I guess you know it already. Advancing in age. One time, we were young , running around with vitality and excitement; the adrenaline pumping up abundant supply of energy. Suddenly, we reach the golden age. To many, especially the women folk; this could be a cause of worry and depression. Why are we scared of aging? I was scared too, but I have learnt to face issues and resolve them as quickly as possible. This is what I told myself, which made me feel a lot better about aging.
It is one of those things in life that we cannot run away from no matter how many plastic or cosmetic surgeries we do. Aging can be postponed, but it cannot be avoided.
Aging is a happy reminder that I didn’t die in that auto crash of fifteen years ago on my way from college, that the illness that almost ravaged my body as a kid did not succeed in taking my life, and that the creator kept his promise to take care of me until the end of age. That if I had died sometimes in the past, I would not be worrying about wrinkles and facial lines today.
Each new day, every soul alive on mother earth ages. A baby born yesterday has aged by a day today, he is a day OLD today.
No matter how old I am, I am still an infant in the hands of the ANCIENT OF DAYS, translated in my Yoruba dialect as ARUGBOOJO.
Sooner or later, everyone will grow old, die and pass on. It is just the cycle of life.
Once upon a time, some people were existing just as we are now; they died and passed on. One day, we also will die and pass on. That is the ecosystem of life. One of those things we have to accept. The world itself is old, farmers have to inject all manner of chemicals in the soil in other to have bountiful harvest. Which explains why most of our foods are no longer healthy as they used to be.
For those committed to developing themselves spiritually, our mortal physical bodies may age and degenerate; but our inner being is renewed every day.
Ageing can be postponed through a mix of proper diet, healthy habits, lifestyle, exercise and intake of a proper blend of spiritual food preferably from the bible.
You are as old as you think. A thirty-two year old man once said that it takes extra effort for him to keep up with his seventy year old father who has vigor, excitement and vitality of a thirty year old.
Lastly, never use age as an excuse not to start new projects in your life like building a family, getting married, get a job you have always loved, enjoy yourself, fall in love, go mountain climbing, go to school, have pleasure, go biking, go on a cruise, see the world, take a new cause, become wealthy, take on a new skill and sport and start life afresh. I hope this is an exhaustive list. Age should not stop you from doing whatsoever is in your heart to do. Afterwards, age is jut a number.
Memoir-Of-Eve 