It Never Goes Away

My mother is 87 years old, and seems to be visibly aging by the week.  Her eyesight is diminishing rapidly, as is her hearing.  She has not been able to walk well for about five years now.  Her diminishing faculties have begun to make me reflect about my own aging.

I'm not weak - yet.  Is it a given? I don't know.  I exercise almost daily, watch my weight, and keep my mind stimulated.  I'm busy.  I write, I publish, I laugh, I participate actively in extracurricular activities, and I have friends - although most of my friends are limited to those extracurricular activities, as we rarely meet socially outside of our meetings.

I have been most concerned about suddenly "becoming" incapacitated.  I realize this is absurd, as one does not "become" something one is not.  Aging is a progression; it is more of the same.  My personality is my personality, and is likely to remain such.  Barring a calamitous event, I'm likely to maintain my current health and attitude toward life, my zest for learning and participating, the time I spend with friends, my ability to love and enjoy life is not likely to wane with age.  Indeed, it never goes away - those aspects of life that give it vitality and sizzle.  My emotions will never dwindle; my body may show the ravages of age, but my soul is not going to dissipate.

These are important realizations.  The essence of the person never disappears, except in death, and then it is carried on the wings of those that follow.