Aging and Growing Old Being Single

Today is my birthday. Yippee! Actually, I can’t stand aging and growing older by yet another year, but it sure beats the alternative. I have spoken to a number of Christian singles (and there are many out there) who are also having, shall we say, a difficult time aging gracefully as well. Why did I feel a tinge of comfort as they spoke of their own issues with aging?

Coping with Aging and Growing Older

Basically what we have found is that you can graph singles attitudes about aging as a bell curve. The good news here is that majority of both extremes, twenty-something singles and senior singles, are handling aging okay. The former rarely give it thought, and the latter group of older singles (surprisingly in my view) have adjusted to the idea that the body “just ain’t what it used to be.”’ To these healthy singles “age is just a number.”

However, the group of single Christians who do have trouble with aging and growing old are the 30-somethings and 40-somethings. Many in this group, whether single females or single males, feel the stress of clock ticking off time. Bulging bellies, sagging pectorals and breasts and dating disappointments wreak havoc on the minds of plenty of these singles. Throw in the fear of remaining single forever and single parenting problems, and it’s no wonder that anxiety and depression plagues this group more than any other.

How to Deal with Aging Without Whining

I recently had a great conversation with an 80 year old Christian guy who helped me get an attitude adjustment on my views on aging. He gave three suggestions, that I’ll pass on to you. He promised me that if I was successful at doing this I would conquer my phobia about aging and growing old. Oh well, here they are:

• Take Jesus’ advice and live one day at a time…really…really…savor it as if it was your last on earth.
• Take your mind off you (oops, he had me here!) and serve others with a sincere heart fulfilling the command in Romans to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep.
• Take God at His word as you wait on Him for your needs and future blessing

Hey, I feel better already. Are you a single Christian with something to share about aging?

Related Article:

Being Single Advantages
Making Peace With Your Past
40-Something and 50-Something Dating

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