Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman believed that “Getting old is like climbing a mountain; the higher you get, the more tired you become, but the view is much better.” Aging inevitably brings limitations, losses, and unwelcome surprises. But it can also bring perspective about what truly matters.
Earlier this spring, after my wife, Most Beautiful One, suffered a fall on a Seattle city bus and underwent shoulder surgery, we both received a preview of the challenges aging can bring. While I was happy to help, I discovered that at 76, caregiving required more stamina than I remembered. By the end of her recovery, we felt motivated to move to a place where emotional support and healthcare services are woven into everyday life.
During a recent stay at the Seattle retirement community we hope will eventually become our next home, we had dinner with two resident couples, also in their seventies. They were warm, engaging, and refreshingly uninterested in impressing us…