Older people find happiness in the “ordinary” things that others take for granted. Young people seek extraordinary experiences—experiences that are novel, exciting, and provide bragging rights. By contrast, older people can find happiness in the so-called ordinary experiences of life—familiar, peaceful, and predictable events. Seniors tend to stop pining for that fabulous trip to the Top of the World and enjoy the small pleasures of a meal at a new restaurant with family or a visit from a friend.
As people age and time horizons grow short, people invest in what is most important, typically meaningful relationships, and derive increasingly greater satisfaction from these investments.
The real key to happiness at every age and stage — particularly old age — is not material things, but gratitude for life’s simple blessings, like laughter among friends and family or watching a sunset with a loved one, “It’s the small things in life that end up mattering most of all.”
I remember when caring for my own father reminiscing about Halloween and how Dad had to “check our candy first” and we always found when we got our candy back that somehow all the “good” candy was missing, he was a jokester and a big kid at heart. We both enjoyed our conversation that day and I still look back fondly at that time.
As we age we realize, there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for and there are blessings both big and small on a daily basis in our lives, it’s unfortunate that so many young people don’t take the time to smell the roses and appreciate these blessings.
Granny NANNIES is a licensed nursing agency that specializes in providing tailored custodial and daily living care for seniors and individuals with special needs, no matter the physical limitations. Licensed since 1990, Granny NANNIES caregivers are certified nurse assistants and home health aides (CNA/HHA) who undergo reference checks, physicals, criminal background checks, and mandatory in-service training. For more information visit our website at www.grannynannies.com or call toll free 1-800-316-2669.