Old Age
By Pops & Mom (Frank & Joan Ciccarelli)
To live a quality of life at an old age, you must create and stimulate a very special mindset, with considerable change to the normal process of aging.
Here are our rules:
Foremost, you must have an Unshakable Faith and practice that faith: Your prayers should be for strength to handle critical fears, changes, and tragedies, not to avoid them, because that is not possible.
Change Your Expectations: Do not expect your children or grandchildren to call and visit, but imagine the joy when they do. Don’t lay your aches and pains on them. Expect to lose your bags when you travel and if you don’t – ooh la la.
Do Not Hate Anyone: Hate destroys the hater and accomplishes nothing but personal stress.
Give Your Love With No Conditions: Forgive, forgive, forgive.
Today is a Present: When you wake up in the morning, look out the window; if you see the grass you are on the right side, it’s a great day! This is called the present, because it is a present. Our family philosopher, and sister-in-law, Marie Biehl, taught us this.
Do Not Associate With Depressed People: It is contagious. Have a positive attitude, it’s also contagious.
Do not ask old people how they are; instead say, “Nice to see you.”
Embrace Humor: Laugh often and laugh at yourself. Tell dumb jokes to your grandchildren. In our family, we call them Poppy Jokes. Frank has a considerable supply, thanks to Christmas and our granddaughter, Lina Anderson, who documented them for us.
Simplify Your Life: Do not become emotionally involved with any material things; you cannot take them with you. Give clothes you do not wear to charity. Throw away junk! Consider giving some of your jewelry to your children and grandchildren.
Control Your Fears: Concern is common sense. Fears destroy. Live a good quality of life as long as you can.
Accept Who You Are: Live within your means.
Fight Depression: The world has always been in turmoil and always will be. One of my favorite prayers, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
The Most Powerful Force In The World Is Love: The more you give away, the more you receive.
