Getting Old?

On a program recently on age, we were told of an experiment where very old people were placed in a house that contained everything 20 years back. So that what was on TV  was from 40 years back, shaving gear was from an earlier time, as was furniture and fittings. Newspapers and magazines and music was from way back when. Everything, in fact was in place from when these people were themselves young.  The whole house was a throw back to the early 60’s.

These people were told that they were to be in charge of their own lives in that house for one week and that no one would help them….for a week. They were going to be living as they liked. Wash, cook, clean, do shopping, talk, read, scratch and laugh…for a week!

One week later, these older folk were younger in mind and body. Less sickness at every level. Less arthritis, less muscle loss, greater mental capacity and memory. This list goes on.

  All this was scientifically monitored and measured. This experiment has been repeated again and again, with the same result. If you give all of us, an environment where we are expected to act as if we are younger, we would….and they, did!

So was it mind over matter or something else, and are there lessons we can incorporate into our own lives?

I’m thinking that it’s not mind that matters, but that of a change of role. Let me explain…Start to act as if you are younger, so that you are actually doing things as a younger person does, is the key here.

Whether there is mind stuff involved, or more activity, or more challenges to face, when it comes down to it, does it really matter. H’mm? Science often tries the attempt to reduce miracles down to one primary cause, which I think is maybe missing the point.

And what is the point? Well, I think it’s to do with doing things that seem to fit with a sense of what we used to do, and were like. In some way, it’s like those guys in their midlife crises, who bought beefy motor bikes who were just trying to regain their youth. But I’m guessing  it’s more than that. I think they were succeeding. I think that’s exactly what they were doing...getting younger!

Perhaps they stopped biking out of ridicule, or exhaustion. Perhaps they aimed too high and fell too far. Perhaps they gave up too soon. BUT…while they were hooning it up in their leather jackets, they were YOUNGER.

So whether you are trying to stay young, healthy or mentally strong…and why not do it all, stepping into a time when you were younger and doing those things will, I’m sure reduce your age, change your mental outlook, firm up your zip and zowie.

Paul