Never Let An Old Person Move Into Your House

Before I get shot down for discriminating against the elderly, I first want to clarify what I mean by “never let an old person move into your house”. It is really a metaphor for how we should stay open to learning and adapting to change. The old person is symbolic of rigidity and inflexibility. The “I know that already” attitude is a gateway to ignorance and stale living. In most cases old people hardly bother to learn new things or try different models of doing things, since they believe they are on their way out.

So “old” actually has very little to do with biological age, but has a lot to do with your mind set.

Here is the ultimate anti-aging secret; never stop learning and actively pursuing new interests, NEVER! A lot of old people have resigned themselves to old ways of doing and viewing things. I recently read of Hedda Bolgar (Google her), who at age 102 still works as a clinical psychologist and maintains a healthy vibrant and optimal physical state. She attributes her energy and vitality at such a ripe age to her commitment to work, learning, staying active and enjoying wonderful relationships and at 102 she is among the oldest people alive. Scientific research has proved that the human body has the capacity to optimally survive for over 114 years. Under certain lifestyle conditions and habits, aging or entropy can be slowed down or even reversed. Besides a healthy and active lifestyle, staying alive has a lot to do with ones state of mind. The body is untimely the instrument of the mind, and whatever is going on in the space between your ears, will reflect on your physical body. This is just one area in which you should keep the “old man” from paying a visit.

A few areas to keep the old person away from include the intellectual, philosophical and the spiritual. People are hardly willing to let go of the old hereditary ideas passed down to them from other “old people”. As you may know life is a process of growth, evolution and discovery, if we hold on to old, worn-out, stagnant concepts we ultimately unplug ourselves from life, so death creeps in. You don’t grow old, but when you stop growing you get old. So it’s vital that we break our routines, thought patterns and closely held theories and that we delve into new transformative adventures across all areas. Take a different route to work, try a new exercise program, read a book on quantum physics or visit a different religious group, whatever you choose to do, just push against your comfort zone and do something you haven’t done before. I’m not advising you go against your personal values or principals, just suggesting you stay open to a new way of doing and viewing things.

Nature has proven that flexibility survives rigidity. During a powerful storm the wind will break an inflexible tree, and the flexible one will bend to the force of the wind and will live to will enjoy the sunshine after the storm. This is nature’s demonstration of how change and flexibility supports life, and on the other hand, how rigidity or stagnancy foster decay and death. Research has found that by the age of 13 most people have already built up and hard wired their core beliefs or assumption about life and everything related to it. Now, is it any wonder that most never people develop or mature enough? Notice how lie is the center of belief? A lot of “old people” have actually bought into their own lies making the prospect of trying something different an intimidating concept.

It’s stated in the New Testament that the children will inherit the kingdom of heaven. I have come to understand this as meaning that the curiosity and the open-mindedness of a child will figuratively open the gateways to all of heavens glories; eternal life, joy, peace. So stay flexible, curious, open-minded, and childlike in your perception of life’s experiences and keep the old person out of your house.