Earnest, 53 yrs

“I don’t feel old. I feel like I am wiser and have more memories and experiences of my life, but I’m not old. I think old is just a word that society has created to make us feel guilty about not always being 'new'. It feels disposable. Like if something is old, you need to throw it out. Society views growing old as a disadvantage and that it means you’re incapable of doing things. I’ve noticed this in the workplace. But older adults have a lot of experience and knowledge to offer, given that they have lived longer lives. We need to continue to learn from older people. As part of my job in the banking industry, I interact with older adults every day and I can see how intricate and full their lives are. One of my friends is 88 years old and he has a great excitement for life. He still plays and coaches cricket, walks 7 km per day, and goes to the gym. He has a very full life and shows you that not all things go downhill as you age. This is something that everyone needs to do more of, interact with older adults. Then you will see that they are just like everyone else, and that aging is natural and nothing to be fearful about. We can’t be young forever because it’s better to live full lives worth living.”