Note to self: older is happier
“Though we as a society extol the years of early adulthood, research studies have demonstrated that younger adults are not as happy as adults in their older years. In the years of later, relatively healthy adulthood (ages 50-75), the horizon of time has shifted and the outlines of a person’s story have become much clearer. The future tense is greatly diminished in importance,
and it is the present tense – the possibilities for pleasure, connectedness, and a sense of emotional embeddedness – that emerges into prominence…. Developmentally speaking, older adults tend to live in the moment, and this appears to increase their satisfaction and well-being.”Maggie Scarf in September Songs: The Bonus Years of Marriage (Riverhead)
THIS is good news. And it does make sense. The key here, I am afraid, is the phrase "relatively healthy adulthood." Things get tougher when you aren't "relatively healthy," but still we need to take this to heart, and learn how to live in the moment!
(Photo by dictybloke, Flickr)
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