In Western culture, ageing is treated as something to resist. When value is tied to productivity, fertility, and physical strength, the years between 20 and 40 become our cultural ideal — the so-called “prime of life.”

We see it everywhere: anti-ageing creams, fitness programs that promise to “get your body back,” and the admiration for those who “don’t look their age.” Ageing is framed as a problem to be fixed, not a process to be honoured.

Both men and women feel this pressure, but it affects women more deeply. Men remain fertile for life; women do not. A greying man is seen as wise or powerful. A greying woman is often described as “past her best.”

But what if that entire narrative is wrong?

I’ve chosen to embrace ageing — intentionally, decade by decade. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been freeing. As I move through my sixties and prepare to turn seventy, I’ve discovered a different kind of power: one rooted in creativity, wisdom, and perspective. My energy isn’t what it was at thirty — but my insight, compassion, and clarity are far richer.

To embrace ageing is an act of rebellion in a culture that glorifies youth. It’s to say: I am still here. I am still becoming.

Old is not a dirty word. It’s a declaration. It’s the visible truth of a life fully lived — and that’s something worth celebrating.

Reflection:
What would it mean for you to embrace ageing — not as loss, but as liberation?

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