From the Editor-In-Chief

I’ll reach a milestone this December…I’ll turn 60. And while some media would have us believe that “60 is the new 40”, I’m not so sure about that. Aging’s tough on so many levels; not only physically, but emotionally as well, and I think it’s how we handle it that leaves us feeling 40 or 60. I definitely feel wiser than I did 20 years ago. I no longer sweat the small stuff, and am more aware of my mortality. My father used to tell me back then that I was ‘coming up the mountain’ and that he was going down the other side or something like that. It never sat well with me - I was 40, maybe younger, and thought I knew everything; I’d done fairly well for myself and felt like I’d already reached the top of the mountain. How foolish I was!

I do agree with the philosophy that our attitude toward aging determines how we feel – but only to a point. Certainly, doing what we can to keep age at bay – exercising, maintaining healthy habits, keeping a positive mindset – can make us feel and look younger. And as a society, our view of aging has definitely changed. Think about how being 60 years old was portrayed in the media only 20 years ago versus today – 60-year-olds of today are fit, fashionable, and just getting started. Celebrities like Christie Brinkley and Chuck Norris seem ageless (and are hawking the wrinkle creams and exercise equipment designed to help us be ageless too). When I was 40, I probably felt better physically; I’ll admit that 60 is definitely tougher and l have to work harder to stay fit. But instead of using age as an excuse, I’m going to use the blocks I laid in my 40s and 50s as a foundation to stay fit and healthy.

When I look back on my early 40s, I had just married my wife, and was getting a late start on having children; I will say that having kids later in life keeps you young (or causes premature aging - the jury is still out). It definitely makes time pass more quickly – one minute you’re holding an infant, and the next, it seems, realizing your teenager is now taller than you. My 40s were the years of growing a family and growing a business, and I was firmly focused on the future. But it has to be said: these days, at 60, a good portion of my life has been lived, and while I know that tomorrow still holds many good things, there isn’t the anticipation that “the next big thing” is just around the corner.

And maybe that, in itself, is a good thing. Learning to live in the moment and appreciate what we have has been a lesson that aging has taught me. And as my wise father also says, no matter where you are in your journey, being humble, and grateful, is what’s important. There isn’t always something better around the corner – possibly, what we have now, right in front of us, has been the prize all along.

Jeffrey Cohen jeff@slmag.net