“Getting old ain’t for sissies,”  an older man told me when I asked how he was doing.  “Retirement is awesome,” another one said, “I have nothing to do and no money to do it with.”  My late father-in-law would often tell me that he was “growing old gracefully.”    How in the world do you do that?  How do you grow old and stay happy?  Here are a few ideas that might at least get you started:

1. Take care of yourself.  Part of getting older means that you don’t have the strength you once had. It means that you become weaker and that life is a bit more fragile.  Study after study points to the fact that eating wisely, getting adequate sleep, and regularly exercising can help the older years be “golder” years.  My late grandfather, who lived to be 97, walked every day (in cowboy boots none-the-less) and did light exercises most of those same days. He had several dumbbells in his apartment and used them. Staying active helped him immensely and combined with the other steps he took to take care of himself, paid off handsomely.
2. Keep working.  Previous generations continued working far into their older years.  They tilled gardens and milked cows.  They cooked meals and cleaned house.  Some continued running their businesses or even started new ones.  Work is a gift from God and was part of His plan from the very beginning of creation.  Don’t miss out on the benefits of work.  A good resource to read might be the book “Let’s Retire Retirement” by Derek Coburn.  It is a very good read!
3. Talk!  Relationships are essential to a good life.  As you get older, stay connected to family and friends.  Get involved in church groups and church activities. Get involved in social organizations and community events.  Stay connected to people and keep talking.  
4. Turn off the TV and the internet.  Much of the news is now horribly biased and can leave any of us feeling saddened and uneasy about both the present and the future.  Watch TV sparingly and use the internet wisely.  Limit the time on both.  Or better yet, perhaps don’t use them at all.  Don’t allow the Television to become your primary companion.  It will not help you to enjoy life.
5. Don’t live too much in the past.  Nostalgia is a blessing, but not everything was really better back then. Outhouses were not all that great and neither were Chevettes. War wasn’t that great either.  Don’t allow your primary identity to be your military service from 40 years ago. Thank you for serving and for honoring our country and for doing your part.  Just don’t make that your only identity. Find your identity in your family and church relationships. Find your identity investing in others through church and volunteer organizations. Find your identity in your work and in the life you have built.  
6. Find a ministry and do it.  The happiest older people I know are those who are serving in their church – singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School classes and junior church services, and serving in everything from the nursery to ushering to visiting others within the church family. Serving takes our eyes off of ourselves.  Serving brings joy in the midst of a dark world.  Trust me, investing your older years in service to others will change your life for the better.

My prayer is that your older years are not your colder years.  Smile and wave.  Speak first.  Keep a happy heart and let your words and actions touch the lives of everyone you meet.  Stay faithful to church and walk with God.  And keep a sense of humor.  I recently asked an older lady in my church how she was doing, and with a sparkle in her eyes, she turned her palms up and moved them up and down like a junior higher and said, “Oh, I am six-seven!”  No wonder she is so happy.  Instead of getting cynical in her older years, she is enjoying them!  May God help you to do the same.  

So what do you think?  What advice would you give?  I would love to hear your ideas in the comment section below. 

Thanks for reading.

Your friend,

Pastor Dave Young,

WestwoodBaptist.Church