Aging like a fine wine...........

 

     From the inside, old age is not so simple.  We may be more concerned about time as death approaches, but older folks are also more capable of appreciating that time.  The fewer moments we have to look forward to in life, the more valuable they become.  Past grievances and preoccupations often dissipate, and what's left is what we have before us.  The beauty of a snowy day, the pride we have in our children or in the work we've done, the relationships we cherish.  Despite the perception that old people are grumpy and cantankerous, research has shown that human beings are never so happy as in the late years of their lives.  We get better at maximizing highs and minimizing lows.  We feel less hassled by the little things that go wrong, and we are better at knowing when something is important and when it's not.  The value of positive experiences far outweighs the cost of negative experiences, and we prioritize things that bring us joy.  In short, we're emotionally wiser, and that wisdom helps us thrive.

-Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz, The Good Life: Lessons From the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness