As years pass, I realize that aging brings its own sweet perks and rewards.
I always find it tough to convince myself that I’m a grown up, and my body often seems to believe it’s still in its teens. I can’t kid myself, though – I’ve lived three decades now.
An obvious thing to do as I grow older is to delve into nostalgia, romanticize youth, and brood over the gone past. It’s easy to believe that life beyond the twenties is a tiring tread, isn’t it?
But aging has its hidden unhidden benefits
Put simply, growing old is a simple sign that I’ve spent more time with myself. By now, I’ve developed a certain philosophy and perspective toward seeing myself and the world around me.
That eventually translates into a few coarse yet simple benefits:
- I know who I am (a little better)
- I know what I like and hate (quite)
- I notice my flaws (getting there)
- I can act with wisdom (love it)
- I can live surefootedly (and peacefully)
And this sort of clarity is unfairly good.
Like a game cheat code.
Because after years of feeling lost and dying inside, growing older prepares you to reassuredly brace the future with self-awareness, wisdom, and courage.
This seems ordinary, yet considering how much time you spend cultivating your identity as a teenager and the difficulties you plod through, it is a worthy advantage.
Short story short: The wisdom that comes with age is exciting
I always thought of wisdom as a Zen-like virtue that calms the turbulent sea of life (and yet feels so uncool after all). But now, having seen life evolve over the years, I appreciate it more.
I can unhesitatingly acknowledge that I feel better off than my chaotic, unstable, and insecure existence, which felt like an unbearable burden. That doesn’t mean that it’s a forever fix.
Sure, I’ll occasionally question myself incessantly and spiral into cycles of overthinking. Except that I won’t be completely clueless and helpless this time.
And that’s the advantage of aging.
I won’t always be as lost.