Seeking Advice From Older Christians (of All Ages) -- on How to Not Get Old.

Hey Everyone,

First of all, everyone is welcome to post and "older" is a very relative term. To a 20-year-old, 30 is older; to a 40-year-old, 60 is older; and to the 95-year-olds, I knew someone who trumped them all and lived into the triple digits. So for this discussion, "older" basically means an age or stage in life that one has not yet personally reached.

I had a Grandma who, after going through her list of health problems every time I visited, would always advise me, "Don't ever get old, Seoulsearch (she would use my full name) -- it's terrible."

On the other end of the spectrum, I had another grandparent who always seemed playful and curious, who never struck me as old until the very end, when physical and mental limitations were really starting to show.

Several years ago, I went to visit a friend I've known since we were 5, and we were complaining about basically turning into old ladies. Her son, who was about 13 at the time, really surprised me when he said, "You're not old, Aunt Seoul. You still jump on the trampoline with us, you still go out and do things -- that's not being old." Contrast this with another friend's child, about 17, who insisted, "Don't leave me here with all these old people!" (referring to me and the other adults in the room.)

I have always strived to be like my grandparent whom I saw as eternally young -- and I've come to realize that my own definition of "not being old" means to always try to be willing to try to explore, learn about, or try new things, and find ways to work through problems rather than complaining. But like anyone else, I know time is wearing me down. Ten years ago I took a day trip in which I got up at about 4 in the morning, walked all day, only stopping to eat, and didn't get home until about 2 in the morning.

Last year I took a similar day trip and found I had to take about a 3-hour break in the middle of the day, and I had to head for home much sooner, around 8 PM. Now I certainly don't have this kind of ambition all the time (only for vacations once or twice a year,) but my Grandma's words were ringing in my head, because I was starting to think of how much more comfortable it would be to have just stayed home.

When I was younger, I was all about going to new places and exploring. These days, I'm finding it too much of a hassle due to airline catastrophes, highway traffic I find more and more intimidating, expenses that could be put into savings instead, and, as it has been for a good portion of my life, the challenge of traveling alone (concerns with safety.)

More and more, I keep thinking, it's not worth the cost, trouble, and worry, and that I should just stay home. I don't have the energy levels I once did that canceled out all the noise and uncertainty.

By my own definition I am getting old (losing my curiosity, sense of adventure, and willingness to try.) And I really don't want to if I can change it, because I'd like to try. But I'm also trying to navigate this stage in life the best I can, according to God's direction.

What about all of you?

* How do you define "Getting Old," and is it something you're trying to avoid or delay? How so? Or do you embrace the idea wholeheartedly, and why?

* When you do find yourself "Getting Old" according to your own definition, how do you react? Do you panic and ask God to change things back? Or are you able to accept aging with grace and gratitude?

* What are your best tips for staying healthy and living a good life at any age?

I don't want to be someone who is fighting God over the natural progression of life, but I also don't want to be someone who neglects their health or automatically gives up in (sometimes more imagined than realistic) defeat.

I'm looking forward to hearing people's thoughts and experiences with this!

This is a topic which has many answers and it's a long topic discussed over a table with coffee or food but if I can sum up the whole phases of life with one word it would be: gratefulness.
Be grateful for everything you have and thank God. Also, thank God for any challenges that help you grow too.
There are hundreds of philosophies out there about aging and life, but i think living in the moment and being grateful is a happier life despite all the challenges. Some saints in history are even happier in challenges too, so it's a mindset that comes from within, and you only get that mindset if you truly rest your life into the hands of God.

Aging is a natural process of the body and soul …. but ....getting old is a state of mind.

I go by the axiom → “Confession of belief equals receipt of confession”

Obviously we have to be cognizant of our physical limitations from aging….I will not be playing median football aka “killer ball” in the median of I-90 again. (It was basically kill the guy with the ball, or step out of bounds and get hit by traffic.)

But most of us know people who always verbalize how old, tired, sick, that they are, → and they are! ….. but I am not going to succumb to that. I will keep pushing myself and confessing the positives of Gods Word ….and someday I will die [not withstanding the gathering together] when my body fails from aging ….but I am not going to be digging that grave with a negative confession until that day.

1st, always, is: become a born again Christian! why? because you have life eternal in heaven & your earthly life will be assisted in good health by your relationship with Jesus. Psalm 34:15. all Christians have access to Jesus for help in any area. eat organic food, the right amount at the right time. no overeating & especially never eat within 4 hours of bedtime. exercise regularly. that is cardiovascularly & at least light weightlifting. & here's 1 lots of people still don't understand: always own a faithfu,l trusting, positive, "smiley" personality & attitude. unforgiveness, malice, vengeance, hatred, animosity, etc., causes sickness too! drink white tea & ingest honey! white tea is extremely high in antioxidants & honey is an immune strengthener. do & pray for others often, (James 1:27). & by course, study the Bible as often as you can.

I love your topics sis. Always so interesting. I turned 50 this year and my youngest nephew called to wish me a happy birthday. I told him I was headed up the hill now and he said " No aunt, you've done gone up the hill and down the other side." He's my humorous nephew, or so he thinks. smh

I knew I was getting older when we went to a place a few hours from us called The Gorge. We had our nephews with us and we had a cook out and my parents went home. My hubby and I decided to take the boys for a hike up the Gorge which has beautiful views when you reach the top. Well the boys were in their early teens, my hubby is five years older than I am. I know I'm not in perfect shape but I decided to be a good sport.

Well the "path" if you could call it that was natural. Nothing man made. So the stones were uneven and so far apart I was trying to scurry up one side or the other. Hubby is 6'4 and the boys both taller than me so I was the only one having the dangest time trying to keep up. My youngest nephew stayed behind with me. I started to feel bad when he yelled at this brother " Ok I've spent my time with aunt, it's time you come help her and I go with uncle!!" I thought there was a light at the end of the tunnel when we passed people coming back. But they just laughed and said we weren't even half way there yet!! I thought I was going to die then and there. Hubby was racing up the mountain like he was 20 and frankly it was making me mad!! We made it to the top, and I have pictures than prove I was not the good sport I thought I was. They have what they call The Arch that is natural stone where you can see for miles. Hubby asked if I was going up and then looked in my face and said "No babe you better not." I wanted to deck him but didn't have the strength!

Dusk was coming on so now we had to go faster going back. My oldest nephew stayed with me and got me a big stick to help me going down the steps. It touched my heart until I thanked him for it and he said " Yeah aunt, it's a Methuselah stick, just for you!!" I was angry as a wet hen when we got back to the car. It didn't help that hubby laughed at me, not the right time. I said " Listen, no more Red Bull for you buddy!!". I was a little heartened the next day when hubby said he was too sore to get out of bed and I realized my heart must be still strong or it would have exploded on that trip! The "Methuselah Stick"is still a running joke with my nephews. smh That was the day I admitted to myself I was old! And I'm good with it, made my peace with it. No more Gorges in my future.


I do my best to stay on the move. I try not to let age bother me. I wished my father a happy birthday several years ago when he turned 60. He said "What could be worse than turning 60?!" I said "dying at 59!" He got a good laugh out of that. My mothers sister died at 43 yrs old. I have a lot of cancer in my family. My aunt was one to save money and worried over every cent. But when she was in the hospital she told me " I'm going to go with you more, I'm going to travel and see more places and not worry about money so much." She never got to do any of that. So I may be limited in some things I do, and my mother has survived cancer and shes limited, we try to get out and do what we can. She has a garden I help her with and started my own this year. I do my best to make a peaceful place to sit outside on my patio to sit and read or listen to music. We have places that we like to visit each year. It's important for my mother to move and be positive so it keeps me doing the same. And when my nephews visit was always try to go somewhere and do something special. I have so many photos of all the places we have taken them. Kids keep you young. Any how I hope I answered your questions and I better get on with my day. Blessings sis!!

I absolutely loved this story! Thank you so much for taking the time to post it.

And don't feel bad, I'm pretty sure that I would be asking for TWO "Methuselah sticks (and I'd probably top them with pink tennis balls just for the added "old person" effect.)

I love what people are posting about gratitude and putting in the work (to live a healthy life and at least try, even if we only do make it halfway.)

I think that's what scares me the most -- getting to a point where I just give up and stop trying altogether.

These posts are GREAT motivation to keep going!

I don't know
But I been told
You never slow down
You'll never grow old...


And no one wants to get high on the town
Cause all my rowdy friends have settled down


I'm just to stubborn to die
Until I know who
What, when, where and why
Until I know all
There is to know
I simply refuse to go!

I think the best way to not get old is to find something that interests you. It's (BLEEP) hard to make yourself do something for your own good, but if you can find something you can get really interested in it becomes easy to stay active in its pursuit.

My aunt is activities director at a nursing home. My grandmother went up there three days a week to run bingo at 2pm and help with arts and crafts stuff for games and decorations. She had friends there in the staff and residents. (Downside: It really hurt when a resident died.)

I think it kept her younger for a lot longer. She's 91 now. She only stopped at 88 because covid shut everything down. They wouldn't let her in the nursing home any more.

The best way to tell if you're an old phart is to ask your friends what you talk about most - things you are interested in or things you complain about. If it's the former, you're not an old phart yet. If it's the latter, call the funeral home and make an appointment.

Neil Young - Hey Hey, My My (Live at Farm Aid 1985)

Has the lyric: "It's better to burn out than fade away." ...

Hmm. Getting old......

It makes me feel old to be tied down with a job, house, and dog instead of being able to pack up and go on the next adventure in a heartbeat.

It makes me feel old to think about the could have been's that can no longer be.

It makes me feel old when people I remember as little kids start driving, get married etc. ( I know I know just wait until they start retiring).

And it makes me feel old when I run out of energy and don't feel like doing much of anything, which happens entirely too much.

And I think I'm going to agree with the previous poster who said gratitude is key, that and remembering to be one of the people who is coming up with and working toward solutions rather than just complaining about problems.

I mean... I can't post ALL the songs I know about this. We'd be here until I'm old.

I had to pick the best ones.

Someone on my Facebook page said you can tell how old you are if you fall. If you fall and your friends laugh, you're still young. If you fall and your friends come running to help you up and see if you're ok, you're old.

That's like a Wendy Bagwell story. He was talking about how he leaned against a stair rail that was always behind a curtain onstage, except on this stage the rail wasn't there so he fell. Knocked the wind out of him.

A young lady said, "Oh I'm afraid he broke his hip!"

That upset him more than falling. "That's what you say when an OLD person falls!" (He was in his 70s or so when he told this story.)

You know you're getting older when Ecclesiastes starts making sense.

I'll be 58 in September. Though I try not to think about it so much, I do feel some physical limitations trying to creep in. I do some exercising to try and fight back some.

Hi Seoul. Your thread reminds me of Gran Doris in the video link below. Feeling old is probably a mindset. My 70 plus year old father is always grumpy and keeps on complaining. He is the total opposite of gran Doris.

https://fb.watch/lGG3YmA82x/?mibextid=l2pjGR

So it's true what they've always said about me. I AM an old soul. That book made sense to me back in my 20's.

Guess it's time for my metamucil now.

*Lynx grabs his walker and shuffles away.

Lol Wendy Bagwell, he was a trip. I always loved the relationship between George Younce of the Cathedrals and Glen Payne. I was able to see them several times in person. George would always tell a joke and then say "I love old people", and he was in his 70s. lol

I worked in retirement villages for a while (I was the gardener)
I remember some of the admin left because they grew a bit tired of oldies complaining all the time they got so stressed out from it.
Not all were like that though some of the oldies were kind and funloving but yea if they fell down you cant laugh you would need to call an ambulance.

Though some of them had those mobility scooters which were probably the coolest thing I thought....they just needed to pimp them up a bit.