Finding Fun in the Process of Aging
Are you having fun in this process we call aging? Not just finding ways to have fun despite growing older, but discovering joy in the actual journey of change itself?
It’s a bit like enjoying the ride rather than just reaching the destination.
How we define ‘fun’ naturally evolves with every birthday. I used to have fun with a tiny pail and shovel. Later, my fun included band rehearsals and chemistry sets.
Each age brought its own discoveries: the thrill of being sixteen and experimenting with lipstick (glad that didn’t light my fire!), or turning 21 and buying my first drink (somehow that wasn’t as much fun as I pretended it was).
The joy wasn’t just in the activities themselves, but in the process of growing into them.
The evolution of fun
This evolution of fun continues throughout our lives, though we often resist it. I used to love traveling by plane to distant destinations, but now the cramped seats and endless security lines have stripped away that particular pleasure.
The fascinating part isn’t the loss of old enjoyments, but the discovery of new ones. When I was 15, I never mourned not being able to ride a tricycle because I’d discovered the freedom of a two-wheeler.
Similarly, my childhood love of silly putty transformed into a passion for pottery in my 60s – not a replacement, but an evolution.
The beauty of aging lies in these unexpected transformations. Take my garden, for instance. Many years ago, I was all about digging, planting, and maintaining raised beds.
Now, I’ve discovered the joy of watching my neighbor’s green thumb at work from my front porch. Is it the same?
No. But I find I smile just as much. And watching the chipmunks scavange for acorns and stash them in their special hideaways brings me joy I would miss if I were busy in a garden.
Struggling with transition
Many of us struggle with transition. Recently, a friend shared her sadness about no longer enjoying Saturday night dances with her husband.
Too noisy, aching joints, and difficulty hearing had changed the experience. She mourned this loss, which is natural.
If there’s one thing that keeps us from finding joy in aging, it’s the belief that fun can only look like it did in our past.
Living with MS taught me about this long before I reached my 70s. It gave me an early masterclass in finding joy in adaptation and change.
In my 30s, when vision changes prevented me from driving for several years, I discovered something transformative.
With two sons to raise at the end of a dead-end road in the country, necessity pushed me toward creativity. I gave my car to childless neighbors, who in turn became our occasional drivers.
While we lost our spontaneous countryside drives, we gained something more valuable: we discovered the joy of interdependence.
Fun in new ways of being
This early lesson showed me that aging isn’t about maintaining independence at all costs – it’s about discovering the fun in new ways of being.
Instead of long drives, we found pleasure in walks, listening to frogs after dark, and storytelling. Each limitation opened doors to unexpected delights.
The real challenge isn’t aging itself – it’s our resistance to its natural flow.
We live in an era rich with possibilities: ‘trikes,’ scooters, and various mobility devices that can add adventure to our lives.
I have several (probably too many) mobility ‘toys’ that keep me exploring outdoors. When I share them with friends, it’s not about necessity – it’s about discovering new ways to have fun.
Unexpected joys
Here’s something else I’ve noticed: when we embrace the changes aging brings, rather than fighting them, we often stumble upon unexpected sources of joy.
Like how our weekly “Sistah’s Supper transformed to Sistah’s Lunch so all the driving would be in the light. We may have a simpler menu but our conversations continue to be enriched by decades of lived experience.
The fun isn’t in doing things the same way we always have – it’s in discovering new ways to embrace what we love.
Think about it: having fun while aging can be as exciting as that first transition from tricycle to bicycle.
No teenager mourns their trike or worries about their changing “mobility device.” They’re too busy enjoying their expanded world.
So why do we hesitate to use a cane or explore new ways of moving through our environment?
Moving forward vs resisting change
I’ve learned that moving forward, in whatever form that takes, is more enjoyable than resisting change.
Yes, there will come a day when moving forward might mean accepting help to sit up in bed, but even then, I expect to discover new aspects of myself – just as I have at every other stage of aging.
Entwined in our fears about growing older is a beautiful truth: there’s a part of us that continues to evolve and find joy in new ways of being.
The fun isn’t in staying the same – it’s in the adventure of becoming who we are next. Each stage of aging brings its own gifts, its own version of fun, if we’re willing to unwrap them with curiosity rather than comparison to the past.
What about you? Have you discovered unexpected fun in the process of aging itself?
How has your understanding of joy evolved as you’ve changed?
I’d love to hear about your discoveries along this fascinating journey we’re all on together.
One way to have fun is to read
TheReflectivePen each week!
