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As we begin a new calendar year, I invite you to consider some inner reflection. Supposedly, if we’re retired, we have the time for such things! Here is a possible outline you might follow: Learn from your past … connect and share in your present … grow into your future.

Whether we take advantage of it or not, our past is a great place for us to learn about ourselves. Even those moments, those people, those experiences we’d rather forget are all grist for self-learning. Trying to push all of that out of minds is futile. It never goes away.

Our pasts may get buried in addictions or unhealthy behaviors toward others or ourselves. But our pasts never go away. So when you decide to look your past life in its “face” honestly, courageously, what are you ready to learn about yourself? You will be healthier for learning from your past.

The past helps prepare us for the present, doesn’t it. That shouldn’t be a “big wow” discovery, but sometimes it is! Our present day is really all we can depend on. The quality of that present day is mostly up to us. How we connect with people in the present is up to us. Whether we share something of who we are and what we have with others is up to us also. (Yes, I know that not everyone is as passionate as I am about connecting with people or sharing their resources and self with others.)

But I do know something profound from personal and professional experiences over my life. And I do know something profound from watching countless people in nearly 75 years. What I know is that being open to touching and being touched by others is a very healthy way to live. I also know that learning from my past, that connecting and sharing in my present, has prepared me for an exciting chance to grow into the future. Grow at 75? Phooey, that’s young when compared to other persons I know whose curiosities seem unquenchable at nearly 90, over 95 and over 100!

They are my heroes. They read substantial things, as best they can, even with dimming eyesight. They can keep up on current community events or national events, even if they need assistance from others because of failing hearing.

They, and I, believe that aging doesn’t have a really stopping point until death is imminent. We always have the potential to grow in our minds, our hearts, and our spirits. How do you try to grow into your future? I think aging can be a pretty exciting adventure when we see it in healthy ways!

Actually, I hope to continue this conversation with you who attend the first Geezer Forum of 2017, on January 10. I get to lead this forum and call it “Aging Matters! Why I Host the Geezer Forum”. As usual, we meet at Columbia Bank’s Community Room, 2:30-4 p.m. on Jan. 17. Plan to join us that day!

Paul Graves, M.Div., is lead geezer -in-training of Elder Advocates, a consulting ministry on aging issues. Contact Paul at 208-610-4971 or elderadvocates@nctv.com.