The Secret to Staying Young!

THE REAL SECRET TO STAYING YOUNG!
By Charlene Rashkow
Copyright 2002

While having dinner recently with a group of friends, a question was posed as to whether there could be a genuine secret to staying young. Since most of the world is always on the lookout for the fountain of youth it was an interesting and thought provoking conversation. Each person in attendance had their own unique views about the aging process and each valid and interesting in their own right. But when it was my turn to share, I confidently stated, "In my opinion, staying young means finding and expressing your passion. The mystery, if there is any, could be attributed to tapping into the creative aspect of ourselves, regardless of age, for creativity doesn't have a number!"

My group of dinner companions of course asked me how I had come up with this notion and although I had absolutely no real proof other than my own experience and that of a few of my friends, I told them that I had been observing those who keep on growing and youthing and those who speak about retirement. What I discovered is that the individual with a thirst for the new stays alive and vital for a long, long time, while the other just seems to get older.

One particularly exciting event that brought my theory home took place in the last four years. The actual event occurred when a friend gifted me with a web site as a thank you for my writing some material for him. At first, I was filled with apprehension and fear as to whether I could handle it. I then chose to look it squarely in the eye and say 'yes' to the Internet. Although that may not seem like a very monumental endeavor, tackling a challenge such as the Internet for a person in their late 50’s was quite a feat.

As a result of my willingness to take on the challenge, today I write for people around the world and am a featured author on many well-recognized online publications. To my way of thinking, vitality and productiveness can't be measured by age but only gauged by actions and attitudes. To have tapped into such an amazing part of both the world and myself brings me more pleasure and fulfillment than words can ever express and has certainly done wonders regarding my youthful appearance. Had I not been willing to conquer what seemed beyond my grasp, I would have missed out on some of the most spectacular experiences imaginable.

Consequently, the mysterious component that seems to elude most individuals regarding youthfulness is in my humble opinion, the seeking of your passion, and then living it to the fullest, regardless of your age.