Please Share 3 Things You Appreciate about Being Old

Posted by Miriam, Volunteer Mentor @mir123, Nov 27, 2025

It's Thanksgiving, so I'm looking at the positive. Some folks don't like the word "old" but I don't mind it. You can substitute "aging" if you prefer! I'm thrilled to be 71 and looking at 72. Due to serious health concerns in my youth I never expected to make it this far. So here goes--and I hope you can join in.

My Three Positive Things

1. I know what my ethics and beliefs are, and I'm no longer worried I might betray them because of outside pressure.
2. I can tell a good story based on life experience.
3. I'm less self critical. My mom told me that if she made a mistake she'd say "you're so clumsy" to herself. When she turned 80 she changed and told herself "you're doing great!"

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

kllevinson | @kllevinson | Dec 1, 2025

In reply to @mir123 "@kllevinson beautiful!" + (show)

@mir123 thank you

kllevinson | @kllevinson | Dec 1, 2025

In reply to @kllevinson "@mir123 thank you" + (show)

@kllevinson thanks

Howdy! | @kereno | Dec 1, 2025

1. Perspective
2. Emotional maturity
3. Feeling comfortable with my imperfections. I am who I am.

Miriam, Volunteer Mentor | @mir123 | Dec 1, 2025

In reply to @hicopd "3 things I am thankful for about being old: 1. Having accumulated “enough,” I am figuring..." + (show)

@hicopd That is lovely to hear!

day0718 | @day0718 | Dec 1, 2025

Three things I like about getting older:
1. Not caring if someone does not like me
2. Not working anymore
3. Feeling comfortable in my skin for the first time.

carmine100 | @carmine100 | Dec 2, 2025

When I do really dumb stuff, I can pass it off as senility.

crn | @crn | Dec 2, 2025

In reply to @kllevinson "1.more wisdom 2. appreciation of all living things. 3. Believe in something bigger than ourselves." + (show)

@kllevinson

Great answers!

dolphingal | @dolphingal | Dec 2, 2025

In reply to @nycmusic "@kathymj my mother-in-law used to say —5 years from now , what age you are now..." + (show)

@nycmusic
Your m-i-l was a wise woman!

kllevinson | @kllevinson | Dec 2, 2025

In reply to @kllevinson "1.more wisdom 2. appreciation of all living things. 3. Believe in something bigger than ourselves." + (show)

@kllevinson hugs to everybody

gussie | @gussie | Dec 2, 2025

I'm 84 my husband is 80. He still runs his own commercial real estate firm. I have a rare disease called CVID or Common Variable Immuno Deficiency Disease. If it wasn't for the fact that there is other peoples plasma that I inject myself with every week to get their antibodies I don't know that I would have lived so long and still be able to walk two miles a day and visit my daughters that live far away from me. Years ago this plasma wouldn't have been around.