Amaging(TM) Growing Old On Purpose

Have you led a charmed life until now? Or have you experienced bad things like illness, divorce, assault, bereavement, and natural disaster? Other trauma? If not trauma, perhaps less painful yet still unfortunate events? Or a series of unfortunate events? According to an article in Psychology Today, if you live long enough, you’re most likely to experience some significantly stressful event. Someone you love will die. You will get sick or be treated badly. According to the article, “We live in a world filled with catastrophes. Just click on your favorite news website, and you’ll see a long list of stomach-churning, tear-jerking stories. The problem with clinging to the mindset that you or someone you know doesn’t deserve to experience a certain painful event, that it’s unfair, that it shouldn’t have happened, is that it increases suffering.” How we move past bad experiences is important. When we accept what happened and move past complacency, we reduce suffering. The writer also recommends accepting what has happened to reduce suffering; this acceptance is then validated by actions. Become a volunteer, write a check, or contribute your efforts in other ways (Puff, 2017).