Aging Gracefully: A Query, A Quandary, A Questionable Answer

/ Ally Bean

“Explain the phenomenon of aging gracefully.”

  • You just never know, do you?

Looking at recent search queries that brought readers to this blog, the one written above caught my eye.  It amazed me.

Usually people find The Spectacled Bean when they’re looking for answers to garden problems [deer eating pansies], self-awareness [Quaker questions], or vanity [V-beam procedure].

I know it’s odd, but it’s true;  those are the three most popular posts on this blog.  Not exactly what I’d consider to be my focus or my best-written stuff, but Google’s algorithm does what Google’s algorithm does.

All Hail Google!

  • My first thought upon seeing this query was to feel a little insulted.  

Aging? Moi?! Pish posh, I say!

But then I remembered that one of my blog tags is Aging Gracefully so I had to lighten up on being insulted, and I shifted my thinking to “isn’t this wonderful?”

I was being asked to impart the wisdom of my many years so that others could learn from my depth of experience, keen observations about human nature, and buoyant spirit. 

So I sat down at my computer ready to compose a post in which I’d answer that query in such a way as to goose Google’s algorithm.  I’d write something so profound and pithy that anyone who asked a similar query, for years to come, would be directed here.

The dream, so close.

  • But here’s the thing, and it’s significant, I have no real answer to this query.

I mean, I dunno.  Maybe the answer is to never stop exercising?  Or maybe it’s to commit to being a lifelong learner?  Or to attempt to let go of any person, idea, or thing that no longer serves you?

None of these? Some of these? All of these?

Or maybe, just maybe, the real essence of the phenomenon of aging gracefully can be summarized in one crotchety remark: “DON’T BOTHER YOUR ELDERS WITH SILLY QUESTIONS!”

You got that, you nosy little whippersnapper?

47 thoughts on “Aging Gracefully: A Query, A Quandary, A Questionable Answer”

  1. Haha, you tell ’em, Ally Bean.

    To me, aging gracefully means being comfortable with who you are where you are without hanging on to tightly to the past, worrying too much about the future, or letting advancing years weigh you down.

    Liked by 3 people

  3. Maybe it means that you’re finally ready to accept naps at 2pm, extra bran, a handy tissue tucked into your sweater sleeve, and more than one pair of glasses because you have a tendency to lose the ones you take off and lay down…

    Liked by 3 people

    • Deb, those are wonderful ways to explain aging gracefully. Especially that tissue tucked into your sleeve. My mother lived in a state of perpetual tissue preparedness that I have yet to achieve.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Aging gracefully – what a concept! At some point, it might mean not leaning hard on your walker when you’ve set one of its legs on somebody’s foot (unless, perhaps they are being truly obnoxious?). Might one who has spent their youth and middle age gracelessly suddenly become graceful and wise as an elder? That seems like a long shot. I suspect it often means not bothering the young with uninvited pearls of wisdom or complaints about the state of one’s joints.

    Liked by 1 person

    • bobcabking, I agree about the walker legs, especially once I begin to wear trifocals! And I also wonder about the issue you raise re: gracelessness being a lifelong condition. Will I, upon reaching some magical number, instantly be a new not clumsy person? Me thinks not. But considering I have so few pearls of wisdom to share, as evidenced by this post, I might ultimately, in a fashion, age gracefully. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Well, Sophia Loren, one of the world’s great beauties and talents, once said that “everything [we] see, [she] owes to spaghetti.”

    But beyond that, my maternal grandparents, who each lived into their nineties, blessed by terrific genetic longevity and a harmonious marriage of 70+ years, found that Golden Balance In Life. They made sure they each had their hobbies, that they had something to look forward to or planned to do every day, and that they had a wonderful tolerance of each other.

    I don’t recall them eating much pasta, however; they were WASP and not given to anything remotely exotic in their diet beyond Neapolitan ice cream once in a great while. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • nance, pasta, huh? Well good for Sophia Loren. Glad it worked out in her favor.

      However, I think that I’ll focus more on your maternal grandparents approach to aging gracefully. To me, a WASP, they seem to have it going on, plus I adore Neapolitan ice cream. 🙂

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  7. Oh that silly Google…I’ve never been described as a graceful person so I’m pretty sure my aging is not going to be in that realm either – as evidenced by me falling down our back stairs and breaking a bone in my knee a few years ago. Using crutches and having a full leg brace made walking definitely un-graceful! You realize now, though, that with all this talk about aging gracefully Google is going to put you even higher on their list so you better get cracking with an answer!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, I hadn’t thought of that! You are so right, Google is going to use this post to send more people this way… where they’re going to be disappointed by my answer to the question. Oh the shame…

      As for your misfortune regarding stairs, I’m amazed that I haven’t done something like that and damaged myself. Be careful out there!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Heh, I love that ending 🙂
    I don’t know what aging gracefully is, but I know it when I see it. It must be all the things people have mentioned, demonstrating a certain je ne sais quoi… And with that being said, I hope I’m doin it!

    I read the V-beam thing just now and I must say, I’m in the ignore group. At least at this point. Sun and certain alcohols are my worst triggers, so I avoid. There’s surely grace in avoiding that which can make your face look like a slice of de-cheesed pizza, non?

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey, I had a difficult time trying to think of what I would say if I were to answer this query face-to-face. You’re right about how some people exude graceful aging. I wanna be like them.

      The V-beam is an experience–effective, but not a permanent solution to rosacea. I’m currently part of the ignore group, too. I wrote that post a few years ago, but am a point where I could be doing it again. *meh*

      Liked by 1 person

  9. In talking about aging gracefully, a woman comes to mind immediately. She’s member of our church and I found out recently that she just turned 88. I was flabbergasted! She looks and acts so much younger. I’m always impressed by her clothes…things I would wear for sure. And her posture is impeccable. No stooping over or shuffling along. I want to be like her when I’m that age!

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    • Beth, I’m sure you’re right that looking as good as you can is part of aging gracefully. I imagine that if you are young at heart + keeping up with the times, you can’t help but embody grace. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

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  10. Yeah, don’t think I’ll ever be described as ageing gracefully… But I agree with others who’ve said that being happy with yourself and doing things you actually take pleasure in (not that you think you should be doing) will at least ensure you enjoy your old age.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Barbed Words, I agree. I’ve come to think here today that the answer to this query is taking joy in what you do, instead of feeling put upon to do things. [That’s middle age, right?]

      I’m a bit of klutz, so I imagine, like you, I’ll not move with grace, but I’ll attempt to live with an attitude of grace. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  11. I definitely have the “aging ” part down… not sure about the “gracefully” part (especially ever since I fell off my ladder and fractured my hip last July). But, I am focused on doing things that make me happy and help me enjoy this luxury called retirement that I’ve been fortunate enough to experience.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janis, well put! I think aging is something that just happens, but as for being graceful about it… that’s another thing entirely. I like the idea that if you’re happy with what you’re doing, then you are aging gracefully. As simple as that.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I love the odd ways people get to my blog (usually – sometimes there are some crazy ones in there). The most common search for my blog involves some variation of ‘Dangerous Rest Stops’ because of a couple posts I did years ago. Last year, two (two!) people got to my site from searching for “alien road trip Wisconsin Dells.” I just shake my heads at these things.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Well, that makes more sense than my most common search term, which is “xxxxxxxxxxxl”… and has made a three year old post that has nothing at all to do with that “subject” my most popular piece running away. Google, it seems, is not aging gracefully and seems to be losing its mind a bit… or perhaps needs to have it algorithm looked into…

    Liked by 1 person

    • evil, I agree about Google. It usually sends people my way who are looking for something tangible. But this abstract query, for which I have no real answer, struck me as goofy. Maybe algorithms need to have their tires rotated every year! 😉

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  16. LOL! You sucked me in with the eye candy on this one. I saw the Seinfeld gifs and had to read it all. That’s it. That’s my comments. I have no ideas answers or wisdom about getting older either.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. my most sought after post…ta da…is about the worst chicken sandwich I have ever had. yes, the google engine reminds me of a stalker…because it is downright strange when a huge number of people are looking for “Goodbye to Mister Fritter” 🙂

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