Aging

po_HappyMan400pxIt is lovely to meet an old person whose face is deeply lined, a face that has been deeply inhabited, to look in the eyes and find light there.

In the evolution to our true selves, there is no age limit. Dive deep into your heart to discover what you really want out of life. When we are truly happy inside, age brings power that only magnifies our radiance.

There is a wonderful Zen story about two mountain climbers. The first, old and slightly bent, slowly makes his way up the mountain. The second, young and in good form, bounds past him, racing confidently to the summit. In late afternoon they meet again. The older mam still climbs gently, step after step, toward the summit. The younger man lies exhausted, unable to move, at the side of the path. As they pass each other the younger cries out to the older, “I don’t understand–what do you know that I don’t?” Responds the old man, eyes twinkling with compassion and laughter, “The difference between us is simple. You come to conquer the mountain but the mountain is stronger than you, so you are conquered. I come to merge with the mountain–so the mountain loves me and lifts me to her summit.”