Nappi: Aging Has Positives, Too

Some readers have gently criticized this column for being a downer about aging. They have a point. Last week, for instance, I wrote about the reasons boomers may not live into great old age (chronic illnesses and high suicide rates). So this week, I counter with a more hopeful report. Aging expert Wendy Lustbader, who has written “The Unexpected Pleasures of Growing Older,” will be in Spokane this month for a half-day seminar at The Lincoln Center. Lustbader – in her book and in her media interviews – points out that life gets better for older people because:

• We spend less time with people who suck our energy, say no to events that waste our time, stop comparing ourselves to others, and we get away with our choices.
• Relationships deepen.
• We finally have some time for other things that feed the spirit.

Question: What benefits do you see re: aging?